Troubled by e-friend, IIT graduate rushes to High Court

Long, late night e-chats have landed an IIT Kanpur graduate in trouble with his netizen friend -- a woman research associate with IIT, Mumbai -- allegedly subjecting him to emotional blackmail which forced him to move the Delhi High Court for protection.

On a plea by Amit (name changed), presently working as an engineer in a multinational firm in Gurgaon, Justice Rajiv Kait has issued summons to the woman with a direction to appear in his court tomorrow.

Justice Kait, however, has asked Amit to foot for her air-fare for Mumbai-Delhi trip and meet her boarding and lodging expenses here in Delhi as she appears before the court in response to its summons over his plea.

In his plea, Amit told the court that he befriended the girl, a PhD in Physics from Allahabad University, on internet last August and began chatting with her. The duration of the chat gradually grew longer and often ended late into the night.

He said as the friendship grew, she insisted upon meeting him and came over to Delhi last November. "After meeting me, she began pressing for marriage with me despite being at least five to six years older to me," 25-year-old Amit told the court.

He said that as he refused to marry her, she began sending him threatening mails and SMSs saying she would commit suicide if he does not marry her.

He urged the court that the girl be directed not to subject him to emotional blackmail.