2 held in Rajasthan for making ‘sextortion’ calls to Union MoS Prahlad Singh Patel

“After registering an FIR, we have arrested two men, Md Wakeel and Md Sahib. The mastermind, Md Sabir, is still absconding and a hunt is on to nab him,” the officer said. According to police, the accused were found to be part of an organised “sextortion” racket. A “sextortion” call, a police officer said, usually involves blackmail with the threat of making public recording of a phone/video call of sexual nature.

When contacted, Patel told The Indian Express that he got the call on his mobile number. “I registered the complaint, through my office, immediately after the incident took place,” he said, adding that he got the call when he was visiting his village in Madhya Pradesh. “Call mere number par aaya tha (I got the call on my phone),” he said.

“I have shared all the relevant information with the Delhi Police. A few days ago, I followed up my complaint with the police, and I was informed that they have traced the numbers,” he said.

According to the complaint, Patel received a WhatsApp video call from an unknown number in which the caller played a porn clip. “Patel immediately cut the line. He then received a call in which the caller threatened to release his video clip on social media,” said an officer.

Patel then discussed the matter with his legal counsel and decided to approach the Delhi Police. “On behalf of Patel, his PS, Alok Mohan, contacted Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora and filed a complaint with the Crime Branch. An FIR was registered under IPC Sections 420 (cheating) and 419 (impersonation), and police started their investigations,” the officer said.

Police traced the two phone numbers from which the MoS got the calls to Md Sabir, a resident of Bharatpur, and to an address in Assam. “The investigation team got to know that one SIM was used in 36 International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers, while the other one was used in 18 IMEI numbers,” said an officer.

“With the help of local police informers, a trap was laid, and police arrested two accused… Police recovered one of the cellphones from which the video call was made and sent it for forensic examination,” said an officer.