A wannabe civil servant turned to burglary after his PSC aspirations fell through. A few nights ago in Chhattisgarh’s Durg, Vinay Kumar Sahu, 28, broke into a couple’s home, not to steal, but to record their intimate moment. He later attempted to extort Rs 10 lakh from them with the video.
Despite being shaken by the blackmail, the couple reported the incident to the police, leading to the swift end of Sahu’s brief criminal career, much like his failed PSC ambitions.
Sahu had used a stolen phone to record the video and send it via WhatsApp, unaware that it could be easily traced. “He made it easy for us to eventually track him down,” stated a police officer.
Authorities revealed that Sahu had repeatedly attempted the PSC exam but failed. Frustrated, he shifted to a life of crime, stealing mobile phones from a local vegetable market. His laziness limited him to petty thefts within his neighborhood. “He was so lazy that he hit the same places repeatedly,” commented a policeman.
Crime branch DSP Hem Prakash Nayak disclosed that Sahu had previously broken into the couple’s Ahiwara locality home twice, thinking the third attempt would be successful.
Last Friday, Sahu snuck into their home again, hoping to find something to steal. Instead, he recorded the couple during an intimate moment using a stolen smartphone. The following morning, the couple was shocked to see the video sent from an unknown number, followed by a demand for Rs 10 lakh.
Confused about how their private moment was captured, the couple filed a police complaint, including the number from which the video and extortion call originated.
A special team was quickly formed, and the cyber cell had no trouble tracing and arresting Sahu on Wednesday. He was still using the same phone and number. Police confiscated three mobile SIM cards and handsets from him and deleted the video.
In the aftermath, the couple now meticulously checks their doors, windows, and every corner of their house before going to bed.