Bantwal man posing as fake scribe held for blackmail

Bantwal: Bantwal town police have registered a case against a man for extorting Rs 50,000 from an educational institution while posing as a scribe.

The accused Ashok, a resident of Siddakatte Elpel posed as cameraman of a private television news channel in Mangaluru.

Ashok managed to extort Rs 50,000 from the institution by threatening to spread negative news about the institution. After giving him a cheque for the said amount, the officials at the institute called up the channel to inquire about him. It was then that they realised that they had been fooled.

Later they contacted Ashok over the phone and called out his bluff. Realising that he had been caught, Ashok returned the cheque and urged them not to lodge a police case.

A complaint in this connection was filed by the convener of the educational institution.