Two Arrested in Bihar for Blackmailing Pune Techie Before Suicide, Police Say

Police reported the arrest of two men in Bihar following the suicide of a 22-year-old IT company employee in Pune. Investigators stated the suspects used fake social media profiles and a recorded video to demand money and threaten the victim.

Incident Overview and Investigation

• Victim: Shikhar Kumargaurav Saxena, a 22-year-old IT employee residing in a paying guest accommodation in Pune's Kharadi area.
• Incident Date: October 1, when Saxena died after falling from the 27th floor of the Riverdale Suite Society building.
• Complaint Filed: The victim's father, Kumargaurav, filed a police complaint on October 14, alleging mental harassment, extortion threats, and false drug trafficking accusations by an individual identifying as Ajaykumar Bhatia.
• Arrests: Police reported arresting Akashkumar Sanjay Singh (18) and Rajkumar Sampurna Anand Singh (22) in Patna on October 21.

Extortion Methods and Police Actions

According to police statements cited by the Press Trust of India, the accused allegedly created fake Instagram accounts to contact Saxena and later moved communications to Telegram. Investigators stated that the victim was recorded during a video call involving an objectionable video, which was then used for blackmail.

• Funds Extorted: Authorities stated that Saxena transferred Rs 1.77 lakh across five bank accounts.
• Recoveries: Police reported freezing Rs 1,14,498 of the extorted funds and seizing seven mobile phones, a laptop, and a tablet valued at Rs 2.22 lakh from the suspects.
• Court Appearance: The two arrested men were presented before a Pune court and remanded in police custody until October 30.

Ongoing Search Operations

Law enforcement stated that searches are underway for additional suspects, including Aniket Gupta from Ludhiana, Punjab, and Krish Kumar from Arunachal Pradesh, who allegedly received portions of the extorted money. Senior inspector Sanjay Chavan of the Kharadi police station is leading the ongoing investigation.