Representative image of extortion
Credit: iStock Photo
Bengaluru: A 36-year-old woman's online dating exploration took a dark turn when she was allegedly threatened by her match on the dating platform after she lent him money.
Chandrika S (name changed), residing in Western Bengaluru’s RR Nagar, reported the incident to the police on February 5.
Chandrika told the police that she encountered Michael Jackson Mathew on the dating app 'Aisle' on November 9, 2023. Following initial communication via calls and texts, the man allegedly borrowed Rs 2,000 from Chandrika on November 15, returning it the same day.
Chandrika subsequently transferred Rs 36,099 to Mathew on various occasions, purportedly due to his claimed unemployment hardships.
The situation escalated when Mathew abruptly ceased communication and blocked Chandrika, leading her to contact Mathew's friend, Arafth Gulab, on Instagram to discuss the money he owes her.
On January 20, 2024, Chandrika received a call from Mathew and chastised her for reaching out to his friend. Then he demanded more money and threatened to publicly share "sexually explicit" photos of her on social media. Fearing repercussions, Chandrika complied and transferred an additional Rs 18,900 to Mathew.
When Chandrika urged him to repay the money as she was in need, Mathew said he does not have money and she should take it when he decides to give it to her. Once again, he threatened to leak her pictures.
Feeling trapped, Chandrika sought police intervention, resulting in the registration of a case at the West Cyber Economic and Narcotics (CEN) Crime police station. The case falls under Sections 67 and 66C of the Information Technology (IT) Act, and Section 384 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) pertaining to punishment for publishing obscene material, identity theft, and extortion.
A cybercrime investigator said, "We have requested details of the suspect from the dating platform. Further investigation is on.”