A 33-year-old construction worker has been arrested for blackmailing a businessman by using his wife as a honey trap.
Manjunath was caught red-handed taking money from Rajendra Hegde (50) at a service road near the Hebbal flyover, North Bengaluru, on Thursday.
It all started last year when Hegde got a missed call from an unknown number. When he called back, a woman responded.
She introduced herself as Ayesha and started sweet-talking to him. After a few phone calls, Hegde met her and the two started an affair.
Things took a dramatic turn recently when Hedge took Ayesha home while his family was away. Just as the two got intimate, Manjunath barged in and caught them in a compromising position.
He accused Hegde of having an affair with his wife and threatened to go to the police. He, however, promised to hush up the matter if Hegde paid him Rs 80,000. Hegde gave in.
But Manjunath didn't stop at that and repeatedly harassed Hegde for money. Hedge went to the Amruthahalli police on Monday.
The police opened a case under section 384 (extortion) of the IPC and asked Hegde to call up Manjunath, saying he wants to hand over the money. When an unsuspecting Manjunath showed up, the police picked him up.
They took him to his house, but Ayesha is missing.