Fazilka, December 2

A woman has been arrested and four other members of a gang have been booked for allegedly blackmailing a shopkeeper by making his obscene video and demanding a ransom of Rs 5 lakh in Jalalabad town of Fazilka district.

Shopkeeper Ashwani Kumar of Ganesh Nagar, Jalalabad, said he received a phone call on November 30 from the Lalla Basti locality for repairing a water motor. Sub-Inspector Deepika Rani said when victim Ashwani Kumar reached there, two unidentified women received him and took him inside the house.

The SI said one woman administered him some intoxicating substance after mixing it in water resulting in dizziness. The victim alleged after that two unidentified persons also reached there, followed by Bimla Rani who was known to the victim. They allegedly prepared his obscene video and threatened to upload it on the social media. The SI said Bimla Rani had passed on the mobile number of Ashwani to the other accused. Rani said they also got a blank cheque signed from Ashwani Kumar and snatched Rs 700 from his possession. They demanded a ransom of Rs 5 lakh from him.

However, he was released after he assured to pay the ransom amount on December 1. The SI said Ashwani Kumar informed the police about the incident. When Bimla Rani reached to receive the ransom amount from Ashwani, the police laid a trap and nabbed Bimla Rani. The SI said the modus operandi of the gang would be ascertained after interrogating the accused. — OC