Police in Bhopal have taken decisive action against a 24-year-old law intern, registering a case for the alleged blackmail and rape of a 32-year-old married woman. The accused is said to have weaponized edited photographs from the survivor's Instagram account, threatening her with social defamation to facilitate months of sexual exploitation.
Stalking and Digital Threats
The disturbing sequence of events began when the accused, who had come to Bhopal for his LLB internship and was staying in a rented room in the woman's neighborhood, started stalking her. The survivor reported that he would follow her while she was on her way to drop her two children at school. Upon facing resistance to his persistent demands to speak with him, he allegedly resorted to threats. He warned her that he would edit her Instagram photos to make them appear obscene and then circulate them online, a tactic designed to inflict social shame and coerce compliance.
Assault and Prolonged Exploitation
The situation escalated horrifically in June 2025. Police state that the intern lured the woman to his rented room and raped her. Following this initial assault, he used the continuous threat of social defamation through the manipulated images to perpetuate sexual exploitation for several months. The cycle of abuse extended beyond Bhopal when, on December 15, 2025, he allegedly pressured the woman to leave the city with him. He took her to Jhansi, where they began living together in a rented house.
Rescue and Police Action
Meanwhile, the woman's husband, alarmed by her disappearance, filed a missing person report with the Bhopal police. Acting swiftly on technical evidence and mobile phone tracking, a dedicated police team traced the survivor's location to Jhansi. The officers successfully rescued her from the rented accommodation, bringing an end to her ordeal. The accused has been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, and a thorough investigation is now underway to gather all digital and material evidence related to the blackmail and assaults.
This case highlights the sinister use of social media and digital tools for blackmail and coercion. It underscores the critical need for awareness about digital safety and the importance of prompt police intervention in such technologically-facilitated crimes.
