Mumbai, October 8: A 28-year-old man was arrested by the police for allegedly sending private obscene videos to his ex-lover under the pretext of reconnecting with her for a rebound. The victim, a 27-year-old woman, approached the Pant Nagar police in August and claimed that she had received videos featuring herself and her ex-boyfriend from college. What was shocking was that an internet phone number was used to send the videos on her WhatsApp.

The Free Press Journal report said the complainant claimed the videos were recorded during their college years, with her in the first year and him in the second. However, she was initially reluctant to share the details. "She continuously denied knowing who had access to these videos, leaving us with no choice but to focus on tracing the internet phone number," said a senior cop. Mumbai Shocker: Man Randomly Dials Numbers, Sends Obscene Videos and Messages on WhatsApp to Over 100 Women; Arrested.

How Police Zeroed in on Accused

The report said that PSI Swapnil Salunkhe of Pant Nagar police’s Cyber Cell used specialized methods involving proxy numbers to trace the number. He was able to identify the broadband service and the accused’s system’s IP address, along with the VPN used, with the help of the service provider. As the investigation progressed, the victim was repeatedly questioned. Initially, she was reluctant to divulge any details and often provided misleading information about certain factual events. However, the police officers adopted a psychological approach and ensured her safety and security. Following this, she eventually revealed the identity of the man. Mumbai: Ola Cab Driver Held for Sending Obscene Video to Woman.

The accused was identified as Divyakumar Suresh Panchal, a married man. He confessed to the police that he wanted to “reconnect” with his ex-lover, nearly six years after their mutual breakup. One of the reasons why he sought reconciliation with his former partner was his troubled marriage.

He claimed that his intention was to remind her of the "good days" of their teenage relationship, which is why he sent her the videos. A case has been registered against him under Sections 354 (D) (stalking), 509 (word or gesture intended to insult the modesty of a woman), 507 (criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), as well as Section 67 (a) (publishing or transmitting material containing sexually explicit acts) of the Information Technology Act.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 08, 2023 05:58 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).