₹17 lakh extorted through threats of defamation: Case registered against four, including a religious fanatic woman

Ratnagiri, Maharashtra – A shocking case has come to light in which a man from Umre in the taluka was extorted of ₹17 lakh by being threatened with defamation. In this regard, Ramchandra Chintamani Kelkar (52, Umre, Ratnagiri taluka) lodged a complaint at the city police station. Acting on the complaint, the police registered a case against Suraiyya Hakim, Husen Naik, Anjar Hakim and Arfan Hakim (all residents of Ratnagiri) and arrested them. When they were produced before the court on 19 June, all four were remanded to judicial custody.

According to information provided by the police:

On 22 July 2025, complainant Ramchandra Kelkar had gone to a hospital in the city to meet his brother. There, he noticed Suraiyya Hakim crying. Upon inquiry, she told him that her son had undergone surgery and that she had no money to pay the hospital bill. Kelkar then gave her his mobile number and assured her of financial assistance.
Thereafter, Suraiyya telephoned Kelkar and asked for financial help. Accordingly, after they met near Maruti Mandir, Kelkar gave her ₹1,500. Later, when she said that she needed more money, he sent ₹500 to her Google Pay number.
On 23 July 2025, a man called Kelkar from Suraiyya’s mobile phone and threatened him, saying, “We have recorded your conversations with Suraiyya. If you want to avoid defamation, pay ₹10,000.” Out of fear of defamation, Kelkar sent ₹10,000 to the Google Pay number specified by the caller.
Thereafter, the accused repeatedly telephoned him and demanded money, threatening to play the audio recordings of the conversations to his relatives and friends. Frightened by these threats, Kelkar sent a total of ₹17,09,494 to them through various transactions between 22 July 2025 and 19 May 2026, according to the complaint. Unable to bear the constant blackmail any longer, Kelkar finally lodged a complaint with the Ratnagiri city police station.
Following the complaint, the police registered a case against Suraiyya Hakim and the three others under Sections 3(5), 308(2) and 308(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and arrested them. The Ratnagiri city police are conducting further investigation into the case.