Malad police have registered an extortion case against a prostitute and her associates for allegedly blackmailing a politician who contested the 2026 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections on a national party ticket and lost.
One woman has been arrested, while the alleged mastermind and other accomplices, including people posing as journalists and activists, are still absconding. A search operation is underway to trace them.
According to police, the victim, a Malad resident, was reportedly trapped and blackmailed using intimate photographs. The ordeal began in December 2025, when he met the 43-year-old woman through a mutual acquaintance. The two met at various hotels, and payments were made as mutually agreed, both in cash and online.
The situation turned alarming when the victim received a half-naked photograph of himself on WhatsApp from the same woman. She allegedly threatened to make it viral unless money was paid. Under pressure, the victim transferred Rs 9000 online and made several cash and digital payments over the following days.
The extortion racket reportedly escalated, with the victim receiving calls from unknown numbers. The woman later proposed a “settlement” of R1 lakh, sending another woman to collect the cash.
When fresh calls came from people claiming to be journalists and social activists, threatening to defame him and demand more money, the victim approached the Malad police and filed a complaint on January 27.
“Investigations revealed the gang had extorted Rs 1,49,500 — Rs 1 lakh in cash and Rs 49,500 online — and demanded an additional R3 lakh, threatening to circulate the photographs on social media”, an officer said.
Senior inspector Dushyant Chauhan confirmed the arrest of one woman and said PSI Akshay Mandale, under the guidance of DCP and ACP, is leading a manhunt for the remaining accused. Authorities are also probing whether the gang targeted other victims using similar tactics.
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