The Nandini Layout police have arrested a 37-year-old Kannada film distributor from Australia for allegedly blackmailing an NRI woman with private videos after taking ₹6 lakh from her.
“The accused, Roopesh, was arrested on Friday after he followed the woman from Melbourne to Bengaluru and started harassing her here,” said a senior police officer.
The woman finally approached the police and lodged a complaint following which a team arrested Roopesh from a hotel near J.P. Park, Yeshwantpur. He has been charged with extortion and outraging the modesty of a woman.
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“Roopesh is a film distributor for well-known Kannada and other South Indian language films in Melbourne. That is where he met the woman, who was living with her husband and children,” said Shashi Kumar, DCP (North division). The duo exchanged phone numbers and he later met her at a restaurant where he allegedly spiked her drink and took videos of her in compromising positions.
“In her statement, the woman said he started blackmailing her and demanding sexual favours. He threatened to post the videos on social media,” an officer said.
Fearing her reputation, the victim paid him ₹6 lakh, but he continued to harass her. In an attempt to escape, the woman returned to Bengaluru and stayed with her in-laws. “Roopesh, however, followed her. He arrived in the city on February 22 and continued to harass her,” the officer added.
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