Man Arrested for Extorting Woman Over Private Videos

The Mumbai police have apprehended Joshua Francis for allegedly uploading intimate videos and photos of a woman on the internet and extorting Rs 50,000 from her under the guise of removing them, according to an official statement released on Wednesday.

Joshua Francis, a friend of the couple, acquired the personal videos and pictures from the woman's husband, who is known to have alcohol-related issues. The husband purportedly recorded their intimate moments to defame her, subsequently handing over the content to Francis. An official from Samta Nagar police station in Kandivli revealed that Francis called the woman, alerting her that her private videos and photos were uploaded on a pornographic website, sharing the URL with her.

Posing as a cyber expert named Vikas, Francis then contacted the woman via WhatsApp, offering to delete the content for Rs 50,000. The woman complied, but the videos and photos went viral on Instagram shortly after, prompting her to file a police complaint. A case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Information Technology Act, and during interrogation, Francis confessed to his actions. The investigation continues.

(With inputs from agencies.)