PATNA: A hotel owner in Patna was allegedly blackmailed using obscene deepfake videos purportedly created in his likeness and was forced to pay Rs 97 lakh to the accused, police said on Sunday. An FIR has been registered against three people, including a woman, in connection with the case, according to news agency PTI. According to police, the extortion money was paid in four instalments across Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi and Patna. The final instalment of Rs 20 lakh was later recovered during police raids. Sub-Divisional Police Officer Vinita Sinha said the FIR was lodged on Saturday following a complaint by the hotelier. Further investigation is underway. Police said Muzaffarpur resident Abhishek Kumar, alleged to be the mastermind behind the extortion racket, conspired with a woman and others to create the deepfake videos and demanded Rs 1 crore from the victim a few months ago. According to news agency PTI, the accused allegedly threatened to circulate the videos publicly and implicate the hotelier in false cases if he failed to pay the demanded amount. Fearing the consequences, the victim reportedly paid Rs 97 lakh in four instalments. “Acting on a plan to help police trace the suspects, the hotelier placed an electronic tracking device inside a bundle of currency notes before handing over the final instalment of Rs 20 lakh to the accused on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday. Tracing the location of the device, police raided the alleged mastermind’s residence in Muzaffarpur and recovered the amount while the accused managed to flee,” Sinha said. Police said efforts are underway to arrest the accused. The investigation into the case is continuing.
