Civil Services aspirant turned burglar shoots private video of a couple; blackmails them

A 28-year-old man was arrested on Thursday for attempting to extort Rs 10 lakh from a couple after secretly recording their intimate video, police reported. The accused, Vinay Kumar Sahu, from Chhattisgarh’s Durg district, aspired to become a government officer but failed multiple civil service exams. Following an unsuccessful burglary attempt, he resorted to blackmail.

According to Sub-Divisional Officer of Police (Dhamdha) Sanjay Pundhir, Sahu had entered the couple's house in Ahiwara village, Nandini police station area, with the intent to steal early last month. Instead of committing theft, he used his mobile phone to record the couple in an intimate moment. Sahu then demanded Rs 10 lakh from the couple, threatening to make the video public.

On June 17, the male victim lodged a complaint with the police, stating he received the video clip on WhatsApp from an unknown number. The sender, who later called him, demanded the money to prevent the release of the video on social media. Following the complaint, a joint team from the Nandini police and the Anti-Crime and Cyber Unit (ACCU) was formed to investigate the case.


The police tracked down Sahu using technical evidence and CCTV footage. Upon his arrest on June 25, Sahu confessed to having previously burglarized the couple's house twice. On May 5, during another burglary attempt, he recorded the intimate video instead of stealing valuables. He later sent the video to the couple and began blackmailing them for Rs 10 lakh.

The authorities recovered three mobile phones and three SIM cards from Sahu's possession. The investigation revealed that Sahu, an engineering graduate, had been preparing for civil services but failed to pass the exams. To support himself, he started stealing mobile phones and other items in his locality.

Sahu was charged under Section 384 (punishment for extortion) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The investigation is ongoing, Pundhir added.