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Udupi : The Hebri police arrested two persons for allegedly honey trapping and blackmailing an astrologer at Hebri, near Karkala here on Thursday, July 25.

The arrested have been identified as Kiran Shetty, a resident of Jannadi near Kundapur and Suma, a resident of Belenje near Hebri.

As per the complain registered in the Hebri police station, Ramesh Bhat, a priest at Lord Ardhanareeshwara temple at Hebri and also a professional astrologist, said that on July 19, two unknown persons approached him when he was near the temple and snowed to h im a video showing him examining a woman by touching her. They threatened him with circulating the video by handing the clip over the media. Meanwhile they put pressure on astrologer Ramesh Bhat and asked to pay Rs 40 lac within the same evening, failing which they said besides shaming him by spreading the video, they would also eliminate him. However, Ramesh Bhat was managed to pay Rs 80,000.

According to the police, Suma visited the house of Astrologer Ramesh Bhat for health problems. While Bhat checked Suma which she recorded in her mobile kept in the bag. Later Suma with the recording blackmailed astrologer Ramesh Bhat demanding Rs 40 lac. Later, Ramesh Bhat decided to file a complaint with Hebri police station.

On the basis of complaint, Hebri police took up investigation and took into custody of Suma alias Sunanda, wife of Raghavendra from Belinge village, Hebri and interrogated her. During the questioning, Suma gave information on the crime and gave names of main accused Kiran alias Shashank Shetty and police arrested him immediately. During questioning him, Kiran agreed to have been involved with the blackmailing the priest and astrologer.

Kiran Shetty said that he along with Suma, Laxmi and Manjunath had planned on the crime and recorded the scene of Ramesh Bhat touching Suma when indulging in astrological consultation. On July 18, as per the plan to trap Astrologer, Suma told to astrologer that some itching sensation in her chest, duly expressing the suspicion that it could be the result of herpes which some believe to be the result of anger of the divine forces. Then Suma urged Bhat to touch and examine her. A cellphone with mobile camera had been concealed in her vanity bag. As per the request by the Suma, then Bhat touched and examined her body with innocence. After Suma returned, as per planned for blackmail, Kiran, Suma and others found that the scene of the astrologer touching Suma was recorded therein.

On July 19^th evening, Kiran alias Shashank and Manjunath went to the temple in a motor bike and showed the video to Bhat and blackmailed him to pay Rs 40 lac. By evening he managed to give Rs 80,000 and agreed to give remaining balance next day.

After the further investigation, the accused agreed that they had blackmailed others also including the entrepreneur from Jannady in Kundapur.

The police have confiscated a duster car, new motor bike, Rs 26,000 cash, vanity bag fitted with cellphone, seven cellphones with sim of different companies, a knife and a sword from the accused.

Suma and Kirn alias Shashank were produced in the court after which they were remanded to judicial custody.

Under the direction from SP Nisha James and guidance from Kumarachandra ASP and Karkala Circle inspector Halamurthy Rao, Assistant SP, Karkala Kishnakanth, Hebri police sub-inspector Mahabala Shetty took up the investigation.