CHENNAI: The TP Chatram police arrested a 51-year-old man on Sunday for allegedly blackmailing a woman with obscene pictures of her daughter and demanding USD 250,000 (Rs 1.8 crore) using an international mobile number.
According to a police, the suspect, V Ramesh (51), an American national, had threatened and demanded the money from Gomathi*, whose daughter was studying abroad and is about to get married soon. He told Gomathi that if she does not pay, he would send the pictures to her daughter's would-be in-laws.
Police said that the suspect and the victim were very good family friends for the past 25 years and to get back the money owed by the family, he chose this route. Police said Ramesh, who has been living in the US since 1994, gave Rs 50 lakh to Gomathi's family in 2020 for buying a house.
On November 6, when Ramesh had come to India on a one-month visa, he had gone to Gomathi's house and asked for his money. The family had said they could not pay him back as they had no money. Angered, Ramesh bought an international sim card and called Gomathi. Acting on her complaint, police arrested Ramesh, who was due to leave for the US in a few days.
(* Name changed)