Union Minister VK Singh’s wife Bharti Singh has filed a police complaint against a man alleging that he was trying to extort `2 crore by blackmailing her with “doctored” audio-video clips to defame her husband.
In her complaint lodged at Tughlaq Road police station, Singh alleged that Pradeep Chauhan, a property dealer and a resident of Gurgaon, had even threatened her of dire consequences if the money was not paid.
“We are investigating the matter. The accused has been given a notice to join investigation today evening but he did not appear. After questioning him we can get further in the investigation. He is not yet arrested,” said an additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, New Delhi district, Romil Baniya.
The FIR was filed under IPC Sections 384 (extortion) and 506 (criminal intimidation) on August 12.
The additional Deputy Commissioner of Police said earlier Pradeep had also posted a video on YouTube levelling false allegations against General VK Singh, who is Minister of State for External Affairs and his family but it was later deleted.
The complainant alleged that Pradeep was known to her as a friend of her nephew. She alleged that he had been calling her for a few days threatening to make public the “doctored” audio and video clips, contents of which were not known to her.
The accused allegedly called her several times and threatened to "ruin" her husband's reputation. He allegedly called repeatedly on the night of August 6.
Police said they will also question VK Singh's nephew in connection with the matter as Pradeep might have audio recorded something which he must have told him in confidence. She also expressed "grave threat" to her security alleging that Pradeep was a "dangerous" man who carried guns.
"It may be noted that I am a senior citizen and I have only two daughters and there is a grave threat to my security and also that of my family as my husband has to travel abroad very frequently for official purposes. The said Pradeep is a dangerous kind of a person and carries guns with him," alleged Bharti.