Two persons were arrested under charges of conspiracy, threatening, cheating and under sections of the IT Act, 2000 and four mobile phones and a laptop were seized from them on Monday. The accused were remanded to judicial custody.
Following a complaint from a woman in Yerwadi, Superintendent of Police V. Varun Kumar directed the Keelakarai police to register a case. Preliminary investigations revealed that the woman, who was living alone, after separating from her husband, used to visit a mobile recharge outlet near her home. The shopkeeper was also selling mobile handsets and functioning as an e-seva centre, where the public can apply for ration cards, Adhaar cards et al. The shop was owned by two persons identified as Badhusha and his brother Haji of Yerwadi. Another man, Sahabudeen was working in the shop as a salesman.
The woman claimed that when she went to the shop about seven months ago and she got her mobile phone recharged. However, the salesman had allegedly lured the woman by speaking to her during odd hours, and at one stage had proposed to her. She believed him and stated that she had been sexually abused by him. Later, she said he had forced her to bring in money, failing which he reportedly threatened to circulate her photographs on social media.
At one stage, the woman had decided to end her life as the torture from the shop owner and the salesman increased day by day. At such a point, she dialled the police helpline -- 9489919722 and told them of what had happened.
Immediately, a team of women officers led by Inspector of Police Yamuna visited the spot and conducted inquiries. After registering a case under IPC sections 417, 354(B), 120(B), 306 & 67(A) of the IT Act, the two accused were arrested.
A senior officer said that the modus operandi of the accused was to note down the mobile numbers of customers, particularly women and later track them on social media networks. If they were active, they would send ‘friend requests’ and share mutually interesting posts. After becoming familiar with the women, they would download some free apps on their mobile phones through which they would send video posts.
The SP appealed to the public to inform them about any such violations on the helpline number, which is directly monitored on a daily basis by a team of officers. He recalled that many callers, whose identity had been kept confidential, helped the police nab liquor sales during the COVID-19 lockdown. Also, the police were able to pin down issues at liquor bars where cases of drunken brawls were reported. Their timely presence ensured against the loss of lives, he added.