A 15-year-old girl from Gurugram, Haryana, became a victim of blackmail after making a friend on social media. A young man tricked her by editing her photos and used them to threaten her. Scared, she secretly withdrew Rs 80 lakh from her grandmother’s bank account and gave it to the blackmailer over eight months, from February to October 2024.
According to The TOI report the crime came to light when she ran out of money but was still being threatened. Teachers noticed her unusual behavior and informed her family, who then reported the matter to the police in December 2024. The blackmailer, 20-year-old Sumit Kataria, got the girl's personal details through a school friend. He started talking to her online, got some photos, edited them, and used them to blackmail her. He also got her phone number and continued to threaten her.
So far, six people have been arrested, and the police have recovered Rs 36 lakh. The search for the remaining money is still ongoing. The girl's grandmother, a 75-year-old woman, had received the Rs 80 lakh from selling land. Her father, who works in Delhi, was unaware of the situation. The investigation is still in progress.