New Delhi (Agency): A 50-year-old man from Mewat, identified as Alamuddin, was apprehended in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, for his involvement in a sextortion scam that primarily targeted senior citizens, according to an official statement on Wednesday. The arrest led to the seizure of eight mobile phones belonging to the accused, containing 140 videos and screenshots of victims.
The official revealed that one of the mobile phones also contained chat conversations with the victims, and the accused had used pictures of senior officers from the Delhi Police as his WhatsApp display picture.
The arrest followed a complaint lodged with the Delhi Police on June 5 by Moolchand Garg, who reported receiving an unknown WhatsApp video call on May 31. During the call, a girl appeared undressed, and the call abruptly ended. The victim alleged that the girl had taken a screenshot featuring his face. Subsequently, he received calls from two other numbers claiming to be from the cybercrime division in Delhi, who threatened to make the alleged screenshot go viral unless a significant sum of money was paid. Fearing arrest, the complainant transferred Rs 47,076 to the fraudster's bank account.
"As part of the investigation, a specific active number was traced to the Abhaipur area of Rajasthan. On June 8, a police team, accompanied by local law enforcement, successfully arrested Alamuddin," stated Rohit Meena, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara).
Upon searching Alamuddin, law enforcement recovered eight mobile phones and six SIM cards, which were considered case evidence.
"Further examination of the mobile phones revealed 140 screenshots featuring various victims, predominantly senior citizens. These screenshots depicted the victims alongside explicit images of an undressed girl," added the DCP. During interrogation, Alamuddin confessed to carrying out similar crimes with his two sons, resulting in substantial monetary gains.
Alamuddin has been remanded to judicial custody as the investigation continues. Authorities are working to identify other members of the gang, trace additional accounts linked to their activities, and establish connections with other complaints and victims associated with the group, according to the DCP. The case sheds light on the growing threat of sextortion scams and the need for robust cybersecurity measures to protect vulnerable individuals, particularly senior citizens.
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