VIJAYAWADA: After the accused in a blackmailing case admitted that he had threatened to upload private photos and videos of a minor girl online, the involvement of more people in the crime has come to the notice of the police. Machavaram police on Monday arrested 19-year-old Gaddam Jagadish for blackmailing and extortion, following a complaint by the victim’s parents.
During the interrogation, the accused reportedly confessed to the police that he and his friend Vamsi Krishna blackmailed the girl for money and had sexually assaulted her many a times. After Vasmi Krishna went to Australia for a job, Jagadish, who received the girl’s photos from him, started threatening her.
It all started in 2017 when the minor met Jagadish through Facebook. The duo met her for the first time at a birthday party. Jagadish started exploiting her upon coming to know that she was the daughter of a city-based industrialist. “Vamsi is the primary culprit. He shot videos and photos of the girl and shared them with Jagadish after he left for Australia. Both Vamsi and Jagadish extorted money and harassed the girl,” said the police.
Later, the police initiated a manhunt for two more accused and a case was filed against Vamsi. “We served notices on Vamsi Krishna and his family to attend before the investigating officers, failing which a red corner notice will be issued. So far, two people are taken into custody and the money collected from the girl is being recovered,” stated a senior police officer.
Family pleads son’s innocence
Jagadish’s family pleaded the son’s innocence and alleged that the girl’s father intentionally lodged a complaint against his son. “Vamsi left for Australia four years ago. There is no truth in the allegations. My son is innocent,” said Jagadish’s father Ramarao