Hyderabad: A 30-year-old hotel owner was arrested on charges of spying, blackmailing and extorting money from young couples by threatening to expose their intimate videos.
According to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport circle inspector K Balraju, the incident occurred in Hotel Sita Grand, which is affiliated with OYO rooms.
Police said the accused Pothuri Ganesh installed hidden cameras inside bulb holders in the rooms.
“The accused Ganesh would rent the rooms to young couples and secretly watch their private moments live. He later blackmailed and extorted money from the couples threatening to expose their intimate details,” the circle inspector told Siasat.com. “The Hyderabad hotel owner was addicted to watching pornography and often chatted with several women on the phone,” added the police.
Several couples succumbed to Ganesh’s blackmail and ended up sending money to him.
However, one such couple decided to inform the police. During a search operation, police seized the hidden cameras and two mobile phones which the accused Ganesh allegedly used.
However, Siasat.com has learnt that police were unable to find any files that contained intimate details of couples. “No videos from the rooms of the Hyderabad hotel were found. We will send the seized cameras and mobile phones of the accused for forensic analysis for further investigations,” the circle inspector said.
Ganesh has been booked under sections 75 (sexual harassment) and 77 (voyeurism) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The accused has been sent to judicial remand.
Recently, the city police in collaboration with the National Service Scheme (NSS) launched an initiative to inspect shopping malls and public spaces for hidden or spy cameras in an attempt to bolster safety and security for women.
During the inspections, the Hyderabad police will assign female experts to examine female changing rooms, washrooms, and other sensitive areas in shopping malls. Random, periodic checks will be conducted in both large and small shopping areas to ensure ongoing safety, said the police in a press release.
