Gurugram Teen Blackmailed: Rs 80 Lakh cybercrime unveiled

In a disturbing incident of cybercrime in Gurugram, a 15-year-old student fell prey to blackmail involving doctored images, leading her to unwittingly transfer Rs 80 lakh from her grandmother's online bank account.

The teenager, terrified by threats to expose these manipulated images, accessed the account after a substantial land sale deposit had been made.

This shocking crime has resulted in six arrests since the investigation began in December of the previous year, with the most recent arrest occurring just yesterday.

In the process, authorities have retrieved the grandmother's debit card and a portion of the stolen funds, amounting to Rs 5 lakh. Thus far, Rs 36 lakh has been recovered, and police efforts to crack the case continue.

The ordeal commenced when the Class 9 girl's grandmother, aged 75, reported the crime to the Sector 10 police station.

According to her account, the granddaughter, having knowledge of the significant bank balance, unknowingly became a target. The blackmail scheme unraveled when, in a casual conversation, the teen shared details of the access to the account after her grandmother sold a piece of land.

The information circulated within her school, reaching a Class X student who subsequently involved his elder brother. This brother then collaborated with an accomplice, who masterminded the conspiracy.

Sumit Kataria, a 20-year-old now under arrest, initiated contact with the girl online and allegedly manipulated her images.

He issued threats to disseminate the photos unless payments were made.

As the girl transferred the money in installments to various contact numbers supplied by the perpetrators, the account was eventually drained.

One of the offenders even confronted the girl at her coaching center, which ultimately led to the unveiling of the crime.

Observing her distress, a teacher inquired and subsequently informed her family, prompting the grandmother to involve law enforcement. The ongoing investigation has been fueled by these alarming developments.