VIJAYAWADA: A promoter of a web portal has been accused of blackmailing and extorting money from some politicians and film actors by threatening to write adverse reports against them on his website. Sources in the police department said the promoter often claimed to be a distant relative of the Chief Minister. He had reportedly launched the website a few years ago.
However, after the government changed in 2019, the number of his alleged misdeeds increased and he started targeting politicians, too. He claimed that the CM and some key ruling party leaders also followed his portal. It has been alleged the promoter of the website was also behind some leaders becoming MLAs and ministers in the State Cabinet. Once people started believing him, he would then blackmail them for money.
In case, anyone refused to budge to his demands, he would publish fake news against them and circulate it on social media, sources said and added that he had allegedly collected Rs 10 lakh from some MLAs in this manner.
Vexed with the blackmailing, a few leaders and actors reportedly recently approached the police who investigated the antecedents of the person and confirmed that he was in no way connected to the CM. However, the affected have not lodged an official police complaint.