Youth held for rape, blackmail

The police have arrested a 21-year-old man from a village in Palwal district for allegedly raping a woman and blackmailing her using a video of the crime.

A spokesperson for the district police said the accused, identified as Tarun, committed the crime about a month and a half ago after befriending a girl who was studying with him at the same college.

According to the complainant, the accused took her to a hotel under the pretext of having a meal, where he allegedly gave her a cold drink laced with sedatives, causing her to lose consciousness. It is further alleged that the accused raped her and recorded a video of the assault, which he later used to blackmail her. The victim claimed that he coerced her into further assaults on more than two occasions over the past month.

Following the initial investigation and the recovery of the mobile phone used to record the video, the accused has been sent to judicial custody, the official said.