RAMANAGARA: A 22-year-old BCom student at a private college in Rajajinagar, who claimed to be a sorcerer, allegedly attempted to extort a sawmill owner who had sought his services to tide over financial woes, pushing the latter to die by suicide.
Police arrested Vishnu Y, the suspect, earlier this week. He was remanded in judicial custody on Friday. Vishnu, who hails from Bagalkot, lived with his elder sister in Rajajinagar.He had boasted about his wizardry skills on Facebook, claiming he could help people overcome their financial problems and relationship issues.
Police suspect Vishnu blackmailed at least 50-60 people who had sought his services and said the incidents would be investigated to bring out the truth.
The sawmill owner, Mutturaj, 25, from Chandapura village in Kanakapura taluk of Ramanagara district, had befriended Vishnu on Facebook and reportedly sought his help to overcome his business losses.
Vishnu agreed and told him to share pictures of his family members so that he could perform some puja.
Vishnu then doctored the pictures of Mutturaj and his mother-in-law and demanded Rs 25,000 from Mutturaj, threatening to post the pictures online to show that he was having an affair with her.
Fearing infamy and unable to meet Vishnu’s demand for money, Mutturaj died by suicide by jumping into Arkavati river in Kanakapura on March 9.
According to Mutturaj’s brother-in-law Shashikumar, the sawmill owner had received a call while they were travelling in the former’s car on March 9.
“The caller asked Mutturaj why was he not taking his calls? Mutturaj told the caller he would die if he continued to harass him. In reply, the caller said he might as well die,” Shashikumar told police.
Shashikumar added he thought Mutturaj was probably being pressured by a moneylender.
Soon after the call, Mutturaj told Shashikumar to pull up by the riverside. He stepped out of the vehicle, leaving his mobile phone behind, and headed towards the river. According to Shashikumar, a little while later, some passers-by raised an alarm, saying someone had jumped into the river. As Shashikumar rushed out of his car, he realised it was Mutturaj.
Initially, it was thought that Mutturaj had ended his life over his financial woes. However, the truth behind his death came to light only on March 18, when Shashikumar accessed Mutturaj’s mobile phone and found some disturbing messages and voice recordings in it that revealed that Vishnu was driving him to despair.
“We had initially filed a report of unnatural death, but after Shashikumar accessed Mutturaj’s mobile phone and found the audio recordings and messages of threat, Mutturaj’s wife Shilpa filed a fresh complaint, accusing Vishnu of abetting the suicide. Based on her complaint, we have arrested Vishnu,” an investigating officer said.
Police arrested Vishnu Y, the suspect, earlier this week. He was remanded in judicial custody on Friday. Vishnu, who hails from Bagalkot, lived with his elder sister in Rajajinagar.He had boasted about his wizardry skills on Facebook, claiming he could help people overcome their financial problems and relationship issues.
Police suspect Vishnu blackmailed at least 50-60 people who had sought his services and said the incidents would be investigated to bring out the truth.
The sawmill owner, Mutturaj, 25, from Chandapura village in Kanakapura taluk of Ramanagara district, had befriended Vishnu on Facebook and reportedly sought his help to overcome his business losses.
Vishnu agreed and told him to share pictures of his family members so that he could perform some puja.
Vishnu then doctored the pictures of Mutturaj and his mother-in-law and demanded Rs 25,000 from Mutturaj, threatening to post the pictures online to show that he was having an affair with her.
Fearing infamy and unable to meet Vishnu’s demand for money, Mutturaj died by suicide by jumping into Arkavati river in Kanakapura on March 9.
According to Mutturaj’s brother-in-law Shashikumar, the sawmill owner had received a call while they were travelling in the former’s car on March 9.
“The caller asked Mutturaj why was he not taking his calls? Mutturaj told the caller he would die if he continued to harass him. In reply, the caller said he might as well die,” Shashikumar told police.
Shashikumar added he thought Mutturaj was probably being pressured by a moneylender.
Soon after the call, Mutturaj told Shashikumar to pull up by the riverside. He stepped out of the vehicle, leaving his mobile phone behind, and headed towards the river. According to Shashikumar, a little while later, some passers-by raised an alarm, saying someone had jumped into the river. As Shashikumar rushed out of his car, he realised it was Mutturaj.
Initially, it was thought that Mutturaj had ended his life over his financial woes. However, the truth behind his death came to light only on March 18, when Shashikumar accessed Mutturaj’s mobile phone and found some disturbing messages and voice recordings in it that revealed that Vishnu was driving him to despair.
“We had initially filed a report of unnatural death, but after Shashikumar accessed Mutturaj’s mobile phone and found the audio recordings and messages of threat, Mutturaj’s wife Shilpa filed a fresh complaint, accusing Vishnu of abetting the suicide. Based on her complaint, we have arrested Vishnu,” an investigating officer said.