A Bengaluru teacher and two accomplices arrested for extortion, blackmailing a student's parent

A school teacher in Bengaluru has been arrested alongside two accomplices for allegedly blackmailing and extorting money from a student's parent. The Central Crime Branch apprehended 25-year-old Sridevi Rudagi, along with her associates, Ganesh Kale, 38, and Sagar, 28, for extorting Rs 4 lakh and subsequently attempting to blackmail the victim for an additional Rs 20 lakh.

The victim, Satish (name changed), is a trader residing in a western Bengaluru locality with his wife and three daughters. His troubles began when he enrolled his youngest daughter, a five-year-old, in a school in 2023, where he first encountered Rudagi during the admission process.

Maintaining contact, their relationship soon became intimate, facilitating Rudagi's initial extortion of Rs 4 lakh. The situation took a darker turn in January when Rudagi demanded a further Rs 15 lakh. As Satish hesitated, she visited his home under the pretext of borrowing Rs 50,000.

Facing business challenges, Satish decided to relocate his family to Gujarat and sought his child's Transfer Certificate in early March. Upon visiting the school, Satish found himself cornered in Rudagi's office by her accomplices, Kale and Sagar.

They threatened him with private photos and videos, demanding Rs 20 lakh to prevent the materials from being sent to his family. Desperate, Satish negotiated the demand down to Rs 15 lakh, making an initial payment of Rs 1.9 lakh, but the threats persisted.

On March 17, Rudagi contacted Satish again, outlining a distribution of the demanded money: Rs 5 lakh for a purported former police officer, and Rs 1 lakh each for Kale and Sagar, with the remaining Rs 8 lakh for herself.

However, an investigation revealed that the police officer had no involvement, prompting Satish to seek police assistance. The authorities swiftly intervened, arresting Rudagi and her accomplices. All three have been remanded to judicial custody for 14 days as investigations continue.

This case underscores the vulnerability parents can face even in environments deemed safe, highlighting the need for vigilance and integrity in educational institutions.