Urwa Police have arrested a former employee of a reputed educational institution in Mangaluru on charges of blackmail and extortion involving morphed and AI-generated videos.
The accused, identified as Abhishek Surendra Poojary, a resident of Kaup in Udupi district, was taken into custody following a complaint filed at the Urwa Police Station.
Police stated that Poojary had previously worked at the institution. About two years ago, he allegedly persuaded the institution’s owner that there was strong demand for specialised training programs in Dubai, prompting a visit to explore the opportunity. Verification later revealed that no such programs existed. During this period, the accused is suspected to have secretly recorded video footage of the employer.
After returning to Mangaluru, Poojary allegedly created morphed and AI-generated videos and used them to demand Rs 2 crore, threatening to circulate the content unless the money was transferred to a bank account in his wife’s name, Srinidhi Patil.
When the demand was not met, the accused reportedly forwarded the videos via WhatsApp to principals of several prominent colleges in Mangaluru and Udupi to exert pressure.
Following a formal complaint lodged by the owner’s daughter, police arrested Poojary, who was produced before court and remanded to judicial custody. Investigations are ongoing, including scrutiny of the possible involvement of his wife.
