The Cyber Police Station of Shahdara district in New Delhi on Saturday, 17 May 2025, dismantled a sophisticated sextortion racket that exploited social media platforms and video calls to blackmail victims, culminating in the arrest of the alleged mastermind from the Mewat region of Rajasthan. The accused, identified as Arman, a 23-year-old resident of Ladamka village under Gopalgarh Police Station in Deeg district, is believed to have personally conducted video calls with victims and received extorted funds directly into his own bank account.

How the Racket Operated

According to Delhi Police, the accused contacted unsuspecting individuals through WhatsApp video calls, dating applications, and social media platforms using fake or misleading profiles. He would initiate friendly and flirtatious conversations before persuading victims to engage in intimate video calls. During these calls, a pre-recorded obscene video featuring a woman was played, while the victim was allegedly manipulated into appearing nude — the interaction being secretly recorded throughout.

Victims were subsequently threatened with the circulation of these recordings on social media unless they paid money. In at least one documented case, the accused allegedly demanded ₹1 lakh from the complainant. Out of fear and embarrassment, the victim initially transferred a partial amount, but when demands continued to escalate, he approached the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP).

The Investigation and Arrest

A case was registered on 13 May 2025 under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Cyber Police Station Shahdara. A special police team was constituted under the leadership of SHO Vijay Kumar, supervised by ACP Operations Shahdara and DCP Shahdara. The team comprised Inspector Shweta Sharma, ASI Rajdeep, Head Constable Javed, Head Constable Narender, Head Constable Deepak, and Head Constable Vikas.

Using technical surveillance and a forensic analysis of the money trail, investigators traced the accused to Ladamka village in Mewat. During the raid, police recovered two mobile phones and 11 SIM cards. Examination of the seized devices revealed approximately 150 obscene videos, including around 50 videos involving multiple victims. One phone was allegedly used to conduct WhatsApp calls and chats with victims; the second was used to display pre-recorded videos to trap them.

Arman, who is educated up to the B.Com level, reportedly disclosed during interrogation that he obtained victims' contact numbers randomly through Instagram and reached out using fabricated identities across dating and social media platforms.

Scale and Pattern

The volume of material recovered — 150 obscene videos and 11 SIM cards — points to a systematic, multi-victim operation rather than an isolated incident. This comes amid a broader surge in sextortion cases across India, with the Mewat belt in particular having been flagged repeatedly by law enforcement agencies in connection with cyber fraud networks. Notably, this is at least the second major sextortion arrest linked to the region in recent months, according to reports.

Delhi Police said efforts are underway to identify and arrest other associates believed to be involved in the racket.

Public Advisory from Delhi Police

Delhi Police issued a public advisory urging citizens to exercise caution while interacting with unknown individuals on social media, dating applications, WhatsApp, Instagram, and video-calling platforms. Police advised against accepting video calls or friend requests from strangers and warned against sharing intimate photos, videos, or personal information online.

Critically, police cautioned that paying extortion demands typically leads to repeated harassment rather than resolution. Victims were urged to report incidents immediately through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal or by calling the national cyber helpline number 1930. Early reporting, police said, significantly improves the chances of tracing offenders and preventing further victimisation.