Woman held for blackmailing VIPs in Odisha

Sources said the woman identified herself as a journalist-turned-lawyer and had befriended many influential people using her contacts

The woman, who lives in a palatial mansion in the city, used to maintain a lavish lifestyle.: Representational picture

Subhashish Mohanty   |   TT  |  Bhubaneswar   |   08.10.22,  :  Bhubaneswar commissionerate police have arrested a woman for allegedly blackmailing and extorting money from businessmen, film producers and politicians.

As the woman had a wide range of contacts, police had remained tight-lipped on the issue.

“The woman Archana has been sent to jail following the rejection of her bail by the local court. Investigation is on. If required we will bring her on a remand for interrogation,” said a senior police officer.

The woman, who lives in a palatial mansion in the city, used to maintain a lavish lifestyle.

Her Facebook profile mentions that along with her husband she is the founder and managing director of Golden Empress Private Limited that deals in hotel business, and also owns a production house.

Sources said the woman, identified herself as a journalist-turned-lawyer and had befriended many influential people using her contacts. She invited them to her house and later trapped them.

“Threatening them to upload their photos in the social media, she used to blackmail them and later extorted money,” said a police source.

Police sources said: “The woman was under the scanner for the last few months after police received a complaint that she had demanded Rs 50 lakh from a politician. Later another complaint had come about her demanding Rs 20 lakh from a film producer. A film producer had also lodged a complaint at a police station alleging that the woman had been blackmailing him by threatening to make his photographs viral. He alleged that the woman had demanded Rs 3 crore from him.”

The woman, who was married, had a fleet of luxury vehicles, four pet dogs and a horse. She used to lend her house for film shoots.

Her palatial mansion in the city is decked up with the costly chandeliers and antique items.