Hyderabad: Rajendranagar police on Thursday arrested a YouTube channel operator for trying to blackmail and extort Rs 5 crore from Jukkal MLA Thota Laxmi Kantha Rao.
In a complaint to the police, MLA alleged that on April 15, Shyam called him to arrange a meeting. “At 7.30 pm on April 15, Meenam Shyam along with some others came to my residence-cum-office at MLA Quarters, Hyderguda. During the meeting, Shyam claimed to have a sensitive video of me and demanded Rs 5 crore to prevent it from being released on social media,” the MLA said in his complaint.
The complainant refused to heed the blackmailing tactics and asked Shyam to leave his office along with his staff. “On April 21, Shyam sent some doctored and defamatory screenshots to my associate Naresh Naidu, reiterating his demand. I believe this is a deliberate conspiracy by Shyam and others to blackmail and defame me,” the complainant said.
Based on the complaint, the police registered a case under Sections 308(3), 351(3), 352, 61(2), r/w 3(5) of the BNS and the SC & ST (POA) Act on April 22.
“Shyam was sent to judicial custody. The case is under investigation,” said Rajendranagar inspector K Kastro.
