Woman, sons, daughter-in-law behind blackmailing of businessman

KOCHI: Probing the blackmailing of a 47-year-old businessman from Maradu, the police have found that a family comprising a woman, her two sons and her daughter-in-law was behind the plot aimed at fleecing over Rs 46 lakh from him.

The police managed to trace the money transferred by him to the bank accounts of the accused, who had threatened to publish his nude pictures on social media and also share the same with his family. After arresting the prime accused —  Harikrishnan B, 28, of Pulamon, Kottarakkara — the police also booked his wife Anjali, 25, mother Sree Lekha, 51, and brother Girikrishnan, 25. “The two women attempted to secure anticipatory bail. But the court dismissed their plea,” said a senior police officer.

According to the police, Sree Lekha and Anjali allegedly established contact with the businessman through WhatsApp as two women staying at a flat in Kaloor. “After befriending him, the two started chatting with him and obtained his naked photos by enticing him. They started blackmailing him by threatening to send his naked photos to his relatives and others,” an officer said.

The case was registered at Maradu police station on April 27. The probe found that the accused extorted over `46 lakh making use of the accounts of Anjali and Sree Lekha at Federal Bank branches in Kottarakkara and Kadampanad, and State Bank of India branch , Kadampanad. “Using the money, both Anjali and Sree Lekha purchased various gold ornaments and a car,” an officer said.