A prominent Kolkata-based billionaire, who presides over a sprawling ethnic retail empire valued at an estimated Rs 14,300 crore, has become the target of a chilling sextortion attempt. The unknown perpetrators demanded a staggering ransom of Rs 25 crore to be paid in Bitcoin, threatening to circulate obscene and defamatory photographs and videos of the businessman's wife and son if their demands were not met.
The Timeline and Nature of Threats
According to a formal complaint lodged at the Rajarhat police station, the first threatening email arrived around noon on December 15. The anonymous sender issued a 24-hour ultimatum for payment, warning that failure to comply would trigger the release of damaging material involving the businessman's immediate family members.
The complaint, filed by a senior employee managing the businessman's properties in Vedic Village, detailed an escalating campaign of harassment. The email threatened to send the material to at least 250 influential individuals and government authorities in Kolkata every week. This number was promised to escalate to 1,000 recipients per week over a 12-week period, aiming to cause "public humiliation, mental trauma, loss of reputation, and irreparable social harm."
A second threat, containing similar demands, was later sent from a ProtonMail address directly to the businessman's son, instructing him to inform his father. Both communications explicitly stated that no response or negotiation would be entertained.
The Cyber Challenge: Anonymity via TOR Network
In a move designed to instill fear and evade law enforcement, the blackmailer claimed to be using the TOR (The Onion Router) network for communication and dissemination. Police officials explained that TOR masks a user's identity by routing internet traffic through multiple encrypted layers across global computers, making tracing extremely difficult.
"While TOR itself is legal in India, its anonymity is frequently exploited for crimes such as hacking, sale of illegal data, and extortion. Ransom demands are usually made in cryptocurrency to avoid detection," a senior officer involved in the case stated.
Police Investigation and International Cooperation
Immediately upon receiving the emails, the businessman contacted senior IPS officers in Kolkata and Bidhannagar. Following their advice, a formal complaint was filed, kickstarting an immediate investigation. No arrests have been made so far.
"We are examining all possible angles, including whether there is any business rivalry or personal dispute that could be linked to the sextortion mails," an investigating officer revealed.
Acknowledging the technical hurdles, the officer added, "Tracing servers linked to TOR networks is challenging, but our cyber team is actively working on the case. International cooperation has been sought to expedite the investigation." The case highlights the growing sophistication of cybercriminals targeting high-net-worth individuals in India, using the dark web's tools to attempt large-scale extortion.
