Bhubaneswar, Jan 20: In a major cybercrime breakthrough, the Cuttack Cyber Crime and Economic Offences Police on Tuesday arrested five persons for allegedly duping a 72-year-old retired government employee of Rs 88 lakh through a well-planned sextortion racket.

The accused have been identified as Manoj Kumar Jena (27), Prafulla Kumar Biswal (65), Sangram Jena (22) of Pobala village under Dharmasala police station in Jajpur district, and Basudev Rout (25) and Manaranjan Routray (60) from the Airfield police station area in Bhubaneswar. Police said the gang was led by Saroj Kumar Jena, who initially contacted the victim through social media in January 2025.

Over several months, the accused gained his trust by meeting him frequently at hotels in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, offering false assurances. In May 2025, the victim transferred Rs 1.48 lakh to Saroj for medical treatment, which was repaid within two months, further strengthening his trust.

Later, the gang demanded more money citing a family emergency. When the victim refused, they blackmailed him. Commissioner of Police Dr. Suresh Dev Datta Singh said the accused trapped the victim through a WhatsApp video call with a nude woman and secretly recorded it. They repeatedly threatened to leak the video online, forcing him to transfer large sums over time.

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