Two-year rigorous imprisonment for man who blackmailed woman he met online

CHENNAI: A city court on Thursday sentenced a 25-year-old man to two years of rigorous imprisonment for cyberstalking and blackmailing a 19-year-old woman he met on an online messaging platform.

The case was registered in February 2024, when the victim filed a complaint with the Central Crime Branch's Cyber Crime police station. The teen had stated that she shared private recordings with Mohammed Asif of Thanjavur, the accused, when they became friends online. He began blackmailing her to send more videos with the recordings he already received.

A special investigation team was formed under the supervision of A. Radhika, Additional Commissioner, Central Crime Branch. The team, led by a Cyber Crime inspector, conducted a thorough investigation, gathered evidence, and filed a chargesheet in the XI Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Saidapet. The court found the charges proven beyond doubt.

Mohammed Asif was found guilty under sections of the Information Technology Act and the Indian Penal Code. The Saidapet Metropolitan Magistrate Court also imposed a fine of Rs 55,000.

Hw was sentenced to two years of rigorous imprisonment and a Rs 50,000 fine, with an additional six-month jail term if the fine is defaulted under the IT Act Section 66-D. Concurrently, he was sentenced under IPC Section 354-D to two years of rigorous imprisonment and a Rs 5,000 fine, with an additional one-month jail term if he defaults.

The city police have urged the public to exercise extreme caution while interacting online and emphasised that cybercrime victims should report incidents immediately via the online portal cybercrime.gov.in or the 1930 helpline.