Vizag: Cyber Cell arrests 5 men pretending to be members of a gay club for extorting Rs 2 lakh from MNC employee

Five men claiming to be the members of a local 'gay club' were arrested by sleuths of the Cyber Crime Investigation Cell today for allegedly extorting Rs 2 lakh from an employee of a multi-national company by threatening him to release his photos last week.

The accused posed as the officers of the City Task Force Police Station to commit the crime, a senior officer told reporters, adding that the incident occurred on July 12.

According to the officer, the 24-year-old victim came in contact with one of the accused via social media and they decided to meet at the accused's place in MVP Colony area of the city.

"The complainant stated that four men barged in the room of the accused while he was with the latter. They clicked his photos and videos in nude while posing as the officers of the City Task Force Police Station on July 12," Joint Commissioner of Police D Nagendra Kumar told reporters.

The officer said all the five men were part of the gang and robbed the complainant by hatching a conspiracy.

"They forced the victim to cough up Rs one lakh to settle the matter. They withdrew another Rs one lakh using the victim's ATM card on July 13," Kumar said.

The officer said the accused are habitual offenders who had committed similar crimes in Gajuwaka and PM Palem areas in the city in the past.

They were booked under sections 419 (punishment for cheating by personation), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and 384 (punishment for extortion) of the IPC besides under section 66 C of Information Technology Act.

Police have seized Rs 1.36 lakh in cash from the gang, he added.