MUMBAI: The Bombay high court has rejected the pre-arrest bail application of a married woman booked for trying to extort money from her alleged stalker.Justice Mridula Bhatkar said Goregoan resident Seema Patil, who works in IT, had hidden that she was in a physical relationship with the man, Stephen James, an HR executive. The court considered the police's plea that they want to recover the phone she used to send the couple's intimate photos and videos on WhatsApp.“On perusal of the printouts of WhatsApp messages, video clips and photographs disclosing the physical relationship between the parties, it appears prima facie that there is evidence against the accused. It is a case of extortion with threat of grievous hurt or life. The extortion was on the basis of obscene images and photographs between the parties taken on cellphone and for this purpose, recovery of the cellphone of the accused is necessary ,” said the judge.Seema had not handed over her cellphone or SIM card to the police team investigating the case on the pretext that Stephen stole it from her. The HC said Seema had not lodged any complaint about the theft. “Custodial interrogation of the accused is required. Hence, application for anticipatory bail is rejected,” said the HC. Seema's lawyers, Edith Dey and Madhuri Sharma, urged the HC for a stay as they wanted to challenge the order in the Supreme Court. The HC stayed its order till February 8.As per Stephen's complaint, Seema had an extramarital relationship with him from 2014 to 2016, when he worked in the same Goregaon IT company. In March 2016, he moved to Pune after a job change. In July 2016, Seema lodged a complaint with the Charkop police that Stephen was stalking her and sending messages and emails trying to establish intimacy.The police booked Stephen for stalking. Stephen then lodged a complaint at Hinjewadi police station, accusing Seema of extortion (demanding Rs 2 lakh on the threat of releasing their intimate pictures) and her husband of abetting it.Seema's lawyers denied the allegations and contended that Stephen's complaint was to counter her FIR against him.