HC notice to Hry, Karnal police on plea against police inaction in loan app sextortion case
The petitioner sought the quashing of a police challan dated Aug 4, 2023, which, she alleges, falsely concludes the case as "untraced" despite substantial evidence and prior involvement of the accused with the police.
The woman's ordeal began in 2021 when she responded to an Instagram advertisement for instant loans. After downloading a mobile loan application from the Google Play Store, the app accessed her contact list and required personal identification, including her Aadhaar card, PAN card, and a photograph, according to the woman.
Although she initially received and repaid a small loan, she soon became a victim of blackmail.
The accused allegedly morphed her uploaded photograph to create obscene images and threatened to circulate them among her contacts unless she paid large sums of money. Out of fear and humiliation, Poonam reportedly paid between Rs 25–30 lakh to the fraudsters between May 2021 and Feb 2022.
When the accused eventually circulated doctored nude images to her family and friends, Poonam attempted suicide.
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Her husband intervened and saved her life. Following this, the couple lodged a complaint at the cyber crime police station in Karnal, leading to an FIR on Sept 27, 2022, under various sections of the Information Technology Act and Indian Penal Code.
The petition alleges that the police failed to act effectively. Instead of arresting the accused, the police allegedly brokered a settlement between the parties and even took Rs 5 lakh from the money the accused returned to Poonam.
According to her, the accused visited the police station on two occasions and transferred Rs 30 lakh to her account as part of a supposed settlement — an interaction witnessed and facilitated by the police.
Despite this, the Karnal police filed a closure report (challan) on Aug 4, 2023, stating the accused were untraceable and omitting any mention of the money repaid or the affidavits of compromise signed by the petitioner and her husband, the petitioner submitted.
In her plea, she sought the quashing of the Aug 4, 2023, challan submitted by the in-charge of cyber crime police station, Karnal, and to transfer the investigation to an independent agency — either the crime branch, CBI, or a district police unit other than Karnal — under the supervision of the DGP, Haryana.
While fixing the matter for August 26, Justice Sanjay Vashisth asked the Haryana govt, DGP, and the Karnal police to file a reply on the petitioner's contention before the next date of hearing.
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