Four minors booked for Rs 9 lakh gold extortion bid in Ulhasnagar

The Ulhasnagar police have booked four minor boys for allegedly blackmailing a teenager using a video of him smoking and then duping him of gold jewellery worth Rs 9 lakh. The case came to light after the victim’s parents approached the Ulhasnagar police to file a complaint.

“The victim’s parents informed us that a group of four minors had recorded a video of their son smoking. They then used the video to blackmail him, threatening to show it to them unless he gave them money,” said an officer from Ulhasnagar police station.

According to the police, the accused minors—aged between 14 and 16—took the video on February 14 and had been blackmailing him ever since. “The victim’s parents noticed jewellery missing from their home and questioned their son. Initially frightened, he later confessed to having handed over the gold ornaments to the group, fearing they would share the (smoking) video,” the officer added.

“The victim is still traumatised and not speaking much. We’ve deployed officers in plainclothes to investigate how the victim came in contact with the accused and to trace the stolen jewellery. Appropriate action will be taken as per the law,” the officer said. An FIR has been registered against unknown persons, a police officer said.