Dubai: A demand for Rs30 million ($338,000 approximately) from a wealthy man has exposed an alleged sextortion racket in India’s Maharashtra state, where women were recruited through cash offers to lure affluent men into intimate video calls before threatening them with criminal complaints.
Nagpur Police arrested 35-year-old Aditya Gupta on Wednesday after uncovering what investigators described as an elaborate blackmail operation involving dating applications, secretly recorded videos and allegedly fabricated sexual harassment and rape complaints.
According to NDTV, police recovered more than 400 explicit videos from Gupta’s mobile phone and are investigating how many men may have been targeted across several Indian cities.
How the trap worked
Police say Gupta recruited educated but financially struggling women, including engineers and working professionals, by offering them between Rs400,000 and Rs500,000.
The women were allegedly instructed to create profiles on dating platforms, including Mika, and establish contact with wealthy men.
Once conversations turned intimate, the women would engage the men in video calls and secretly record the exchanges.
The recordings then became the basis of an alleged extortion scheme.
Investigators say Gupta would approach police stations claiming to represent the women as a legal adviser or social activist.
He allegedly pressed officers to register sexual harassment or rape complaints against the men, using the threat of serious criminal proceedings to demand large sums of money in exchange for settling the cases.
Rs30 million demand raises suspicion
The alleged racket began to unravel when Gupta sought Rs30 million from a man identified as Irfan, who had been named in one of the complaints.
Police said Gupta’s unusually active involvement in multiple cases had already raised suspicions.
Rather than immediately confronting him, investigators initially appeared to cooperate while examining the circumstances surrounding the complaints.
They then contacted Irfan and brought him to Nagpur.
After speaking to him and examining the allegations, police said they uncovered evidence of a coordinated blackmail operation.
Gupta was subsequently arrested.
More than 400 videos recovered
A search of Gupta’s mobile phone revealed more than 400 explicit videos involving different women, according to police.
Investigators are examining whether the recordings were used to blackmail other men and whether similar complaints were filed in Delhi, Pune and other cities.
Police are also trying to establish how many women participated in the operation and whether some were themselves exploited or manipulated.
Two cases have been registered against Gupta in Nagpur, while investigators are gathering information about complaints linked to him elsewhere.
Luxury cars and political connections
Originally from Agra in Uttar Pradesh, Gupta had reportedly left his family about five years ago before moving to Maharashtra.
He was living in Pune at the time of his arrest.
Despite his background, police say he maintained an extravagant lifestyle, driving luxury vehicles and staying in five-star hotels.
He also allegedly cultivated an image of political influence.
According to NDTV, Gupta used a manipulated photograph showing himself with senior political leaders as his WhatsApp profile picture, apparently to convince others that he had powerful connections.
Police are examining his alleged links with influential individuals.
Gupta had also previously faced a theft complaint filed by his brother in Agra, the report said.
Investigation widens
Nagpur Deputy Commissioner of Police Rahul Madane said investigators were working to determine the full extent of the alleged syndicate.
“We have recovered over 400 explicit videos from his phone,” Madane said, adding that a detailed investigation was underway to establish the scale of the operation.
Police are now tracing potential victims, examining other complaints and investigating whether additional people were involved.