Delhi Cyber Police Arrests Man for Blackmailing Women with AI-Generated Images
Cyber Blackmail Case in Delhi
Representational Image
New Delhi, June 8: On Monday, the Cyber Police Station in Delhi's North District apprehended a 30-year-old individual for allegedly extorting money from young women via social media by utilizing AI-generated morphed images.
As per the Delhi Police, the suspect, named Sourav and residing in Bhalaswa Dairy, was taken into custody on June 4 after an investigation was initiated following a complaint from a 19-year-old woman from Malkaganj.
The incident came to light when the complainant reported online through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP), claiming she was being blackmailed. During the investigation, she revealed that she had received a WhatsApp message from an unidentified sender who shared a morphed image and instructed her to communicate via a Snapchat account named 'Lakshay Garg.'
The accused allegedly demanded ₹30,000 to delete the altered image. Distressed by the threats, the victim's family made the payment through a QR code.
Months later, in February, the accused contacted the victim again, demanding more money. After negotiations, she transferred an additional ₹10,000 through a cyber café. The suspect continued to press for more funds and insisted she provide contact information for other young women. When she refused, he escalated his threats, leading her to seek police assistance.
Following the complaint, a case was registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at PS Cyber, North District.
A specialized team, led by Woman Sub-Inspector Hanshul Gupta and supported by Constables Shahzad, Aakash, and Aman, operated under the supervision of Inspector Rohit Gahlot, SHO of PS Cyber North, and the guidance of ACP Operations Vishesh Dattarwal.
During the investigation, the team gathered technical and digital evidence, conducting thorough analyses. The accused was eventually located and arrested in the Bhalaswa Dairy area.
Upon interrogation, Sourav revealed that he was employed at a private finance firm and engaged in cyber extortion for illicit financial gain. He targeted young women on social media by posing as a job recruiter. After establishing trust, he collected their resumes and encouraged them to participate in video verification calls. Screenshots from these calls were allegedly altered using AI tools to create inappropriate images, which were then used for blackmail.
Investigators also discovered that the accused had prior arrests related to extortion, sexual harassment, and stalking in 2022 and 2023 at Bharat Nagar and Cyber Shahdara police stations, indicating a history of repeat offenses.
Police recovered a mobile phone, a SIM card, and a Wi-Fi router believed to have been used in the commission of the crime. The investigation is ongoing.