City police on Saturday arrested a youth from Kalahandi and his Baleswar associate for attempting to blackmail a renowned industrialist of the city.
Samir alias Susanta Singh (20) of Dharmagarh with his friend Pradeep Swain (19) of Baleswar had demanded Rs10 lakh from Om Oil and Flour Mills ltd MD Sarat Sahoo of ‘Ruchi Spices’ by showing him a fake video.
Inspired by a video from YouTube, the duo made a fake tape showing members of a family in Koraput district have suffered food poisoning after consuming foods made with Ruchi spices, said Cuttack DCP Sanjib Arora.
Swain delivered the fake video in a pen drive to Sahoo along with a slip with Singh’s number. When Sahoo contacted with the number, Singh on the other side demanded Rs10 lakh to destroy the original tape.
According to a deal, the amount of protection money was negotiated and on Saturday when Swain came to accept a part of the money, he was arrested by the Madhupatna police. Basing on his statements, Singh was also arrested, Arora informed.