Woman, partner held for blackmailing jeweller

Varanasi: Nandganj police in Ghazipur district on Sunday night arrested a woman identified as Snehlata Singh and her companion Bharat Singh for blackmailing a jeweller after filming an obscene video on Mar 27. DIG of Varanasi range, Vaibhav Krishna, stated on Monday that jeweller Deepanshu Seth from Saidpur had approached him on Saturday with a complaint.According to the DIG, Seth reported that after an objectionable video of him was recorded on March 27, he was coerced into transferring Rs90,000 online. Later that same night, Bharat Singh and his associates allegedly went to Seth's residence and extorted an additional Rs4.80 lakh. The gang then demanded another Rs20 lakh, threatening to release the video on social media if he refused. Krishna confirmed that Seth had provided multiple pieces of evidence, including recordings and transaction details, and described the incident as a clear case of honey trap. Nandganj cops lodged an FIR against Snehlata, Bharat, Bablu Pandit and Anna on the charges of wrongful confinement, criminal intimidation, extortion, voluntarily causing hurt and criminal conspiracy. In his complaint, the jeweller said that he is a native of Saidpur in Ghazipur and runs a jewellery business in the local market. On Mar 11, Snehlata called him expressing interest in buying jewellery. Subsequently, on Mar 23-24, conversations between them continued through WhatsApp messages. On March 27, the jeweller said that Snehlata invited him to her house with the gold chain she wished to buy. When the jeweller reached her house around 9 pm with a gold chain, the woman offered him tea. Soon after drinking the tea, he began feeling drowsy, after which she clung to him and engaged in objectionable acts, while Bharat, Bablu and Anna, who were already hiding in the same house, filmed a video. The woman and her gang members threatened to make the video viral if he did not pay them Rs 25 lakh. The jeweller alleged that initially they forced him at gunpoint to transfer Rs 90,000 to Snehlata's account and later went to his house and took Rs 4.80 lakh. They again demanded Rs 20 lakh.The jeweller said after staying in fear for several days, he reached the DIG officewith his complaint. After examining the available evidence, including messages, call recordings, money transaction details and others, the DIG directed Ghazipur cops to register a case.Nandganj cops said that immediately after lodging the FIR on Sunday, two accused Snehlata and Bharat were arrested, and teams were carrying out raids to nab the other two accused persons.