The K.R. Puram police in Bengaluru have arrested a BTech graduate from Hyderabad and a security guard for allegedly blackmailing a woman through social media and extorting gold and cash worth over ₹1 crore.
The accused have been identified as Mahesh (36), a BTech graduate from Hyderabad in Telangana, and Swamy, a security guard.
Police said Mahesh is married but separated. He is addicted to online gaming and had incurred huge debts. In a bid to repay loans, he allegedly devised a plan to target the woman who is married to a realtor and has two children.
According to the police, the victim, Mahesh got in touch with the woman on social media around one-and-a-half years ago. The relationship gradually turned personal, following which Mahesh began exploiting her trust. Under the pretext of financial distress, he allegedly convinced her to hand over gold ornaments and valuables worth more than ₹1 crore.
Investigations revealed that after spending the money on gambling and other vices, Mahesh began threatening and blackmailing the woman, demanding more money. Unable to endure the harassment, the woman approached the K.R. Puram police and lodged a complaint on February 10, 2026.
