Andhra Pradesh: Woman techie duped of Rs 2.5 crore by friend's husband over 'fake nude' photos; Arrested

A woman software professional from East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh was swindled out of Rs 2.5 crore under the pretence of preventing her alleged nude photographs from being uploaded to social media. The accused, Neenawath Devanayak, a resident of Obulu Naidu Palem in Guntur district, masterminded the scam by first instructing his friend to make a threatening call to the woman, claiming to have compromising photos of her.

The blackmailer, who was a friend of the accused, allegedly told the victim that he would upload her private photographs online. In response, Devanayak approached the woman, claiming that he could help her stop the so-called blackmailer and demanded money to prevent the incident. 

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Nidadavole police inspector PVG Tilak revealed that Devanayak, who had relocated to Hyderabad in 2021 and was involved in the real estate business, had been introduced to the woman through his wife. The woman had befriended Devanayak's wife when they both stayed at the same women's hostel in Hyderabad. Seeing the victim as financially well-off, Devanayak devised a plan to exploit her, according to TOI report.

After the threatening call, the woman was in a state of panic and turned to Devanayak for assistance. He assured her that he could help, claiming the 'blackmailer' had initially demanded Rs 5 crore but had reduced it to Rs 2 crore after negotiations. Devanayak took Rs 1 crore in three separate instalments, convincing her that the memory card with the photographs had been destroyed after the payment. 

As the woman continued to trust Devanayak, he took advantage of her. He further manipulated her into giving him Rs 50 lakh to help start a boys' hostel in Guntur. The woman took out a loan of Rs 50 lakh to fund the hostel project, handing the money over to Devanayak, who pocketed it. Later, he tricked her into giving him another Rs 50 lakh, claiming it was for a job opportunity in Canada.

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Over time, Devanayak siphoned off a total of Rs 2.5 crore from the woman and her family. The final straw came when he demanded an additional Rs 16 lakh. Fearing for her financial security, the victim filed a complaint with the Nidadavole police, bringing the scam to light.

The police arrested Devanayak from China Kakani, Guntur, and are actively searching for his accomplice. Investigations are also underway to determine whether Devanayak’s wife was complicit in the crime.