The complainant alleged that the couple repeatedly called him and threatened to upload his private photographs, intimate images and videos on social media, and circulate them among his family members unless he paid the money they demanded.
| Photo Credit: Illustration by Satheesh Vellinezhi
A 45-year-old real estate dealer from Amruthahalli in Bengaluru has filed a complaint with police accusing a woman with whom he was in a live-in relationship cheated him of over ₹1 crore, concealed her marriage, and later blackmailed him by threatening to circulate his private photographs and videos online.
According to the complainant, Raviraj A.S., he came in contact with the woman, identified as Soumya S., through Facebook about eight years ago. The two allegedly developed a close relationship after she told him that she was undergoing a separation, and that she would marry him after obtaining a divorce.
Raviraj alleged that during the course of their relationship, he provided Soumya with money through cash, UPI and bank transactions. He claimed to have given her nearly ₹1 crore, and also handed over around 500 grams of gold. Soumya had rented a 2-BHK house in October 2025, and had identified him as her husband in the rental agreement.
However, he later learnt that Soumya had married another man, Ambarish, on September 4, 2025, which, he claims, was concealed from him. He alleged that despite being married, she continued to seek financial assistance from him on various pretexts.
The complainant said he came to know about the marriage on May 23, 2026. When he confronted Soumya over the phone, she allegedly dismissed the issue as a personal matter, and spoke to him in an insulting manner. He alleged that Ambarish later contacted him and warned him to stay away from the couple.
Raviraj also alleged that, on May 26, Soumya and Ambarish repeatedly called him and threatened to upload his private photographs, intimate images and videos on social media, and circulate them among his family members unless he paid the money they demanded. He accused the duo of using the material to blackmail and extort him.
Police have registered a case under Sections 66(C) of the Information Technology Act, 2008, and Sections 308 (extortion), 351(2) (criminal intimidation) and 62 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
Published – June 04, 2026 06:40 am IST
