The arrested person was identified as K Sakthivel of Arumbakkam. Investigations revealed that he began chatting with his friend's former girlfriend and threatened to circulate morphed and obscene photographs of her and demanded that she pay him.

Afraid of his threats, the woman initially handed over gold worth Rs 2 lakh and an expensive mobile phone to the man. When Sakthivel demanded more jewellery and money from her, the woman shared her ordeal with her parents, who filed a complaint with the Ashok Nagar All Women Police Station. The police booked a case under several sections, including the Information Technology Act and other sections of the BNS, and began investigations.

After learning that police were on the lookout for him, Sakthivel went into hiding, eventually he was arrested on Monday. Sakthivel was produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.