BJP functionary among 8 booked for seeking Rs 50 cr ransom from Mutt
Four of the accused have been detained, while the police are still looking for the other four, including the district president of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
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TIRUCHY: Eight people were charged by the Mayiladuthurai police for allegedly threatening to distribute ‘obscene’ videos of Dharmapuram Adheenam among the public and post the footage on social media and demanding Rs 50 crore.
Four of the accused have been detained, while the police are still looking for the other four, including the district president of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Sources said that Viruddagiri, brother of Dharmapuram Adheenam 27th Gurumaha Sannidhanam Srila Sri Masilamani Desiga Gnanasambantha Paramacharya Swamy, complained on February 21 at the Mayiladuthurai SP office stating that a gang has been threatening the Aadheenam that it has a few ‘obscene’ audio clips and videos of the seer and would upload them on the social media if the ransom demanded was not paid.
Acting on the complaint, the police registered a case on February 25 and began investigations.
Viruddagiri in his complaint said that Vinod from Aduthurai along with Senthil, a staff of Dharmapuram Mutt, approached him and claimed that they possessed a few objectionable videos and audios of the Adheenam and demanded money. The gang even threatened to kill Viruddagiri and a few staff if they approached the police. Viruddagiri also accused the gang was acting under the directions of Kudiyarasu, correspondent of Sembanarkoil Kalaimagal Educational Institutions, Advocate Jayachandran of Seyyur and Agoram, Mayiladuthurai district BJP president.
After conducting detailed investigations, the police, arrested Kudiyarasu, Aduthurai Vinod, Vignesh, and Srinivasan a couple of days ago and produced them before the court. Later they were lodged in the Mayiladuthurai sub-jail. A search has been launched to arrest the BJP district president Agoram, Dharmapuram Adheenam staff Senthil, advocate Jayachandran, and Adheenam photographer Prabakaran, who have gone underground.
Cops have also taken possession of mobile phones of the arrested persons. “A clear picture of the entire episode will be available only after the arrest of the absconding persons,” the police added.