Two held for shooting obscene video of 17-year-old student

CHENNAI: Two youths, including an engineering student, were arrested on Sunday for allegedly shooting an obscene video of a 17-year-old girl and threatening to post it on social media.

Police said the girl was a first year student of a private engineering college. She was dating her college mate G Srinath, 20, of Pallikaranai. Over the course of their relationship, the girl had given Srinath many gifts and transferred money through net banking. Last month, Srinath told the girl that he wanted to discuss their future plans. He invited her home claiming that he would introduce her to his parents. When the girl went to Srinath’s house, she noticed that his parents were away and confronted him. He managed to pacify her and took her to his bedroom on the pretext of showing her his childhood photographs.

Meanwhile, Srinath had planned to shoot obscene pictures of her. He made his friend S Yogesh, 19, hide in the store room before her visit. He had instructed him to take pictures of the duo getting intimate through an opening in the window.

When they met at college the next day, Srinath’s behaviour towards her was different. He asked for more money and even compelled her to visit his home again. “When the girl refused, he told her about the video and photographs. When the girl refused to believe him, he showed her the video,” said an investigating officer. The girl was in a state of shock and avoided discussing the issue with her friends. She later decided to break up with him. Soon after, Srinath and Yogesh started threatening her that they will post the photographs on social media if she refused to come whenever they called. They continued with their demands for money. She failed to concentrate on her studies because of their constant harassment. Eventually, she gathered courage to inform her father about the incident and later lodged a complaint at the all women police station.

Police arrested Srinath and Yogesh under Pocso Act and seized the mobile phone which was used to take the photographs. A case has also been filed under 120B (criminal conspiracy), 384 (punishment for extortion), 506(1) (punishment for criminal intimidation) of IPC and Section 4 of woman harassment act. They have been remanded in judicial custody.