Woman held for ‘blackmailing’ MLA Katare

Bhopal: A woman student of journalism was trapped and nabbed by crime branch while allegedly extorting Rs 5 lakh from

Congress MLA

Hemant Katare at Rachna Nagar on Wednesday.

She had allegedly threatened to frame Katare in a false rape case, and demanded Rs 2 crore. Police said the accused had been threatening Katare for the last few days on different mediums. A case of blackmailing was registered against her on a complaint by the MLA.

Police said preliminary investigations suggest the involvement of two more persons. ASP-crime branch Rashmi Mishra said Katare, MLA from Ater constituency in

Bhind

, filed a complaint on Tuesday that the 21-year-old woman was making calls on his cellphone since January 17, threatening to frame him in a rape case and for abetment to suicide.

According to the complaint, he received the first message on January 19. A video showing the woman making “false allegations” and threatening to ruin his personal and public life was sent to him. When he tried to probe the video, the accused sent a messenger who demanded Rs 2 crore to “settle the matter”.

Katare alleged that he had met the woman twice in the last seven months at public programmes. After that she called him many times and wanted him to invest in some projects, which he declined. After this, she suddenly she started threatening the MLA. Katare said he has audio recordings of conversation between the woman and messenger.

ASP Mishra said that on Katare’s complaint a case of blackmailing and extortion was registered against the woman and her accomplices. She said that on Wednesday Katare informed police that the woman has agreed to settle for Rs 25 lakh. She is coming to collect the first instalment of Rs 5 lakh near a hospital in Rachna Nagar. Crime branch sleuths nabbed her when Katare paid her the money.

Later a video surfaced in social media in which the accused is seen accusing the MLA of exploiting her and that she has chat records and audio clips of it. Katare could not be contacted for his comments, but a video surfaced, showing him rebutting the girl’s charges.


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