The accused is also accused of causing hurt and theft in two other police stations.
Thiruvananthapuram:
A popular social media artist has been arrested for allegedly raping a college student about a month ago at a lodge in Thampanur area of the state capital of Kerala.
The SHO of Thampanur police station told PTI that the accused was arrested on Saturday and the magistrate court sent him to 14-day judicial custody the same day.
Police Inspector Prakash R said the accused had asked the woman – a college student whom he had met on another famous social networking site and with whom he was in a relationship for a few weeks – to come along to buy a car. And just as he took a room in a lodge to refresh himself.
The officer said that he allegedly raped the woman at the lodge and then they went to buy a car.
Police said the woman, upset by what happened, asked her friends about her and they told her that he had illicit relationships with several women and was not a trustworthy person.
Thereafter, she lodged a complaint with the police, the officer said, adding that several objectionable videos purportedly of women emerged from the mobile phone of the accused. Police is investigating the matter further to find out whether he used the video to blackmail or to extort money or any other favors to his victims.
Giving details of his modus operandi, the officer said the accused, who has millions of followers on a popular short-video hosting platform, allegedly got close to his victims, including married women, on the pretext of explaining how to be popular. could. social media.
Thereafter, he will reportedly record their private or intimate moments on his phone, the official said, adding that his mobile phone has been sent to the cyber cell so that any material can be deleted to recover it.
In addition, he would also allegedly obtain email ids and passwords of his victims through emotional blackmail and if they ever failed to answer his calls, he would spread false stories about them through their emails, the officer said.
Apart from the present case, the accused is also accused of causing hurt and theft in two other police stations in the state capital, the official said.
The officer also said that the accused looks different in real life as compared to his online videos.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)