New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) An alleged sextortion racket has been busted with the arrest of three men accused of extorting Rs 14 lakh from a man by luring him into a video call, recording him in a compromising position, and threatening him by posing as a police officer, an official said on Thursday.

Delhi Police has arrested the accused — Vasim (30), Javed (48), and Khalid (23) — from Rajasthan’s Mewat who lured people through video calls, during which they played pre-recorded obscene clips of women.

According to the official, victims would then received another call from a man claiming to be a Crime Branch officer and threatened them with legal action, alleging that the video clips were of a minor.

The accused manipulated victims into disrobing on camera, which the fraudsters then recorded. The videos were used to blackmail the victims, Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Vichitra Veer said.

In the case reported, the complainant received a video call from an unknown number, the officer said.

DCP Veer said during the call, an obscene video began playing and the woman in it convinced the complainant to strip naked. The accused then sent him three obscene video clips of himself and began demanding money.

Posing as police officer, the accused told the complainant that his phone was under surveillance and a case of sexual harassment could be registered against him, the officer added.

The caller also claimed that the woman in the video had died by suicide and threatened arrest unless he paid Rs 6 lakh for a settlement. In total, the complainant transferred approximately Rs 14 lakh to the fraudsters, he said.

Based on the complaint lodged, a case was registered and a police team was formed who traced the digital footprint to the Mewat region in Rajasthan.

“Raids were conducted in Sikri of Deeg district where Vasim was nabbed after a brief chase. Subsequently, Javed and Khalid were also arrested from their respective residences,” the officer said.

Two mobile phones with incriminating data were seized from their possession, police said, adding that all three were remanded to judicial custody.

Delhi Police said the accused impersonated police officers to intimidate and extract money from victims. The racket is suspected to be part of a larger network, and further investigation is underway to identify other possible victims and associates. PTI SSJ OZ OZ