Surat Extortion Case: Two Friends Arrested for Blackmailing Man with Nude Video
In a shocking case from Surat, the Athwalines police have arrested two men for allegedly blackmailing their friend with a nude video and extorting a massive sum of cash, gold, and silver over a two-year period. The accused, identified as Mehul Jadiya and Vinod Manani, are charged with orchestrating an elaborate extortion scheme that targeted a 56-year-old man.
Details of the Alleged Extortion Scheme
According to police reports, the incident began approximately two years ago when the accused lured the victim to a farm located on the Bardoli–Palsana highway. They claimed to have arranged for a woman from Mumbai to meet him for "enjoyment." The victim was sent into a dilapidated room with the woman, where the duo secretly recorded a nude video of him.
Initially, when the victim objected, the accused pretended it was a joke and said they had deleted the footage. However, the next day, they restored the video from the phone's recycle bin and used it to blackmail him. Knowing about his financial assets, they threatened to circulate the clip unless he handed over money and valuables.
Extortion of Cash, Gold, and Silver
The victim, whose family owns a women's garment shop in Chauta Bazar, was coerced into surrendering significant wealth. The extorted items included:
- Rs 39 lakh in cash from a fixed deposit with Bank of Baroda
- 130 tolas of gold ornaments
- 5 kg of silver coins and jewellery
Police stated that the accused allegedly made the victim drink liquor regularly and gradually forced him to hand over these assets over the past two years. The victim's son, aged 31, filed the complaint after noticing his father's withdrawn behavior and discovering suspicious photographs of gold ornaments on his phone.
Elaborate Replacement of Valuables with Fakes
Since the gold and silver ornaments were stored in private safe vaults, the accused devised a cunning plan to avoid detection. They contacted Adinath Jewellers and Uttam Bengali, sending them photographs of the original ornaments. Based on these images, imitation ornaments were crafted and supplied to the accused.
These fake items were then placed in the lockers to prevent the victim's family from suspecting anything. The original gold and silver were allegedly sold to Yusuf Chowksi, who has also been booked as a co-accused in the case.
Family Discovery and Police Action
The victim's son became concerned when his father grew increasingly withdrawn and communicated less with family members over the past two years. Ten days ago, while checking his father's phone, he found images of gold ornaments sent to an unknown mobile number.
When confronted by family members, the victim broke down and revealed the entire blackmail ordeal. He confessed that his friends Mehul Jadiya and Vinod Manani had been extorting him. The Athwalines police swiftly acted on the complaint, arresting the two accused and investigating the involvement of the jewellers and the buyer of the stolen valuables.
This case highlights the severe consequences of trust betrayal and the lengths to which criminals will go for financial gain, using modern technology to exploit victims.
