Three arrested for blackmailing women using intimate videos

MP, Kolkata: Three persons including two youths who were arrested for blackmailing several women by threatening to circulate their intimate videos, had reportedly been doing the crime since 2011. 

Police had earlier arrested a person identified as Kailash Yadav, who used to call and send text and WhatsApp messages to the complainant, demanding money. 

During interrogation, he claimed that he was employed by two youths identified as Aditya Aggarwal and Anish Loharuka, who belong from two reputed businessmen families, to call and extort money. 

After getting his statement, police had arrested the duo from their houses on Wednesday and seized Rs 30,000 which was extorted from the complainant. 

Yadav used to work as cook in Loharuka's family residence. It may be mentioned that the Aggarwal family owns a nationwide ethnic-wear retail chain named Prapti Fashions, while the Loharuka family owns two luxurious hotels styled as O2, along with a real estate business in the Rajarhat and New Town area. 

According to sources, during interrogation Aggarwal and Loharuka reportedly confessed that they were doing the blackmailing for money and added that till now, they have succeeded to extort only one woman who lodged complaint at the Cyber Crime police station. 

However, police are not yet convinced with their statements as it is suspected that several women, who faced similar harassment, did not approach police owing to fear of public embarrassment. 

Aggarwal and Loharuka also confessed that they used to demand Rs 10 lakh from each of their victims. They had employed Yadav to call and demand the extortion money in order to hide their identities. 

The duo reportedly claimed that six more women were contacted in the same manner in order to extort money from them. 

Police have so far found a huge number of video footages from the duo's phones and laptops, which were recorded a few years ago. They also confessed that they had recorded those videos since 2011. 

According to police, Aggarwal and Loharuka used to trap women with the promise of romantic relationships. After the women got involved with them, the duo used to convince them to get intimate with them. 

During their personal moments, Aggarwal and Loharuka used to covertly record videos in such a manner that their faces were not clearly visible. Later, the duo used to break up with the women and keep the videos. 

Though Aggarwal and Loharuka did not extort money since 2011, approximately a year ago they planned to do so again. Police are interrogating them further to find out if any more persons are involved in the crime. 

The laptops and smartphones seized will be sent for forensic examination.