The police on Sunday arrested a B.Tech dropout on charges of extorting money from around 300 girls and women by blackmailing them over compromising photographs and videos, after befriending them in person and online.
The accused, identified as C. Prasanna Kumar (23), hailing from Proddatur town, allegedly trapped 200 girls and 100 middle-aged women from Hyderabad, Vijayawada and Kadapa, the police said.
Even as no victim lodged complaint yet, an investigation into the house-breaking and chain-snatching cases pending against him led the police to the new cases.
“Prasanna Kumar, addicted to many vices, resorted to trap girls and women to make quick bucks to fund his lifestyle. He allegedly befriend the victims and lured them into sexual relationship. He would blackmail them over the compromised photographs and videos, and extort money,” said Kadapa Town Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) B. Sunil Kumar, adding that the accused had been following the modus operandi since 2017. The police recovered ₹1.26 lakh in cash and 30 grams of jewellery from the accused and appealed to the victims to lodge complaints against him.
