African-origin woman arrested for `blackmailing’ businessman

Indore: Two persons including a woman who claims to be from Tanzania were arrested by the Cyber Cell of Madhya Pradesh police on Thursday for allegedly blackmailing and extorting Rs 4 lakh from an Indore-based businessman.

The Cyber Cell’s Indore unit Superintendent of Police Jitendra Singh said the woman Saumu Shabani (38) and Sumit Prajapati (23), an Indian national, were arrested from Delhi.

Shabani allegedly sent a friend request to the complainant, a furniture businessman, from a fake Facebook account last year and began to chat with him regularly, Singh said.

She allegedly invited the businessman to her flat in Delhi in January, where she offered him a spiked drink.

The businessman passed out after drinking it. When he gained consciousness, Shabani allegedly told him that she had shot an obscene video of him, and it would be uploaded on the Internet if he didn’t pay her.

Shabani allegedly took Rs four lakh in installments from the businessman through bank and e-Wallet accounts of some Indian nationals, the SP said.

One of them was Sumit Prajapati, a grocery shop owner, who allegedly allowed Shabani to use his bank account for commission, the police officer said.

Police started probe after the businessman recently lodged a complaint.

Shabani claimed to be from Tanzania, but hasn’t yet produced her passport and travel documents, the SP said, adding that police were looking for some more accused.