Ramanagara panel member arrested for blackmail, sexual assault of multiple women

Bengaluru, : In a shocking case of alleged sexual exploitation and blackmail, a member of the Ramanagara Child Welfare Committee has been arrested by police in Bengaluru.

The accused, Chandregowda, is alleged to have targeted multiple women by luring them into relationships, recording intimate moments and later using those videos to threaten and extort money.

According to police, Chandregowda posed as a police officer, lawyer and media representative using fake identities to gain the trust of victims. “He created multiple fake profiles and misused them to manipulate women. After gaining their confidence, he recorded private videos and used them for blackmail,” an investigating officer said.

During the examination of his mobile phone, police reportedly found photos and videos of more than 20 women. Officials suspect that the number of victims could be higher and further investigation is underway. In one case, the accused allegedly befriended a woman who was separated from her husband and introduced himself as a lecturer. He convinced her that he was divorced and promised to marry her.

“He gained her trust, established a relationship and secretly recorded private moments. Later, he threatened to leak the videos and extorted around ₹5 lakh from her,” police sources revealed.

The case came to light when the victim checked his phone and discovered videos and chats involving several other women. She then filed a complaint at Rajarajeshwari Nagar Police Station, leading to his arrest.
Investigators said the accused went to extreme lengths to maintain his deception. He allegedly staged a fake marriage by tying a turmeric thread around the victim’s neck and collected her Aadhaar details to pose as her husband.

“He even executed a rental agreement claiming to be her spouse and left his mother at her house, where the victim took care of her for years,” police said. The accused is also suspected of attempting to alter documents related to the woman’s daughter to strengthen his false identity.

Police have registered a case and are probing further to identify other victims and establish the full extent of the crime.