Odisha Police arrests Nigerian from New Delhi in 'sextortion' case

Cuttack, Mar 23 (PTI) The Odisha Police has arrested a Nigerian for his alleged involvement in a "sextortion" case, an official said on Sunday.
    A special team of Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Commissionerate of Police arrested the 31-year-old accused from New Delhi on Friday and brought him here on Sunday.
    A case had been registered on March 1 at Dharghabazar police station in Cuttack in connection with the death of a woman by suicide, “who became a victim on the accused”, a police officer said.
    Sextortion typically involves the exploitation of intimate images and videos to extort money or favours from victims, officials said.
    It was ascertained from her suicide note that the woman was forced to take the extreme step as she was being blackmailed and threatened by “some unknown person(s)”, the officer said.
    “In her suicide note, the victim had mentioned international WhatsApp numbers and domestic phone numbers. She also mentioned that some persons cunningly obtained her private photographs and blackmailed her,” said Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo, DCP (Cuttack).
    “During investigation, we found that calls were made using the internet through a mobile number operating in Uttam Nagar and Palam area of Delhi. Acting on that input, our special team visited New Delhi and arrested the accused,” he told reporters here.
    The accused has been staying in New Delhi since 2020, he said.
    The DCP said the arrested person used to survey online Facebook accounts of professionals like doctors, and managed to steal their identity by creating fake profiles.
    He used those profiles to send friend requests to other online accounts, and “lure them to obtain their mobile and WhatsApp numbers”, another police officer said.
    Further investigation is underway.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)