While befriending a 20-year-old college student from Anaicut near Maduranthagam through Instagram, Nandagopal, a married man with a daughter, introduced himself as an unmarried IT professional looking for a bride.

After beginning as friends, they entered into a relationship. Nandagopal promised the girl that his parents would meet her parents to talk about the wedding once the lockdown was over. About two months ago, Nandagopal said that he needed some money urgently. Trusting him, she sold her gold chain and also used all her savings to raise Rs 2 lakh that was transferred to him through Google Pay. A few days ago, he asked her for Rs 20,000 more. This time, he threatened the girl saying her photos would be uploaded on social media and also said he would kill himself if she failed to send the money.

Shocked by this, she narrated the incident to her father and a complaint was filed at the Anaicut police station. The police formed a special team on Friday and arrested Nandagopal from his house in Gingee.

Officials said he was unemployed, and invested and lost the money in share market. The police team seized two mobile phones and bank passbooks from him and registered a case under IPC sections 420 and 406. He was later remanded in judicial custody.