Chennai: Police on Saturday arrested a 34-year-old man who posed as a television journalist and threatened a woman and attempted to extort money from her claiming that he has inappropriate pictures and videos of her.
The accused was identified as I John Peter of Arapalayam in Madurai and who is residing in Mahaveer Gardens in Puzhal. Police said that he is a regular offender and uses similar modus operandi to con and extort money from gullible women. John Peter had called the woman a few days ago and made the threat to her over the phone. The woman lives with her family in the refugees' camp in Kavangarai near Puzhal.
When the woman started avoiding his calls, he started sending messages to her phone threatening that he would circulate the pictures via Facebook and Whatsapp. Worried, the woman confided in her husband and the couple approached the Puzhal police.
Police advised the woman to set up a meeting with the caller. The woman met John Peter at the Kavangarai bus stand and a police team intercepted him when he reached the spot. He was arrested and produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody.
