Overview
Putting a person in fear of injury — to body, reputation, or property — to extract money or valuables is extortion under BNS Section 308. Modern blackmail is mostly digital: threats to leak photos or chats, sextortion rackets, and ransom demands over recorded calls. The instinct to quietly pay is exactly wrong — payment invites escalation. The right play is evidence preservation, a controlled complaint, and swift police action, handled discreetly.
Key Provisions — Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023
- BNS Section 308 — extortion: up to 7 years where the threat is of death or grievous hurt; base offence up to 3 years.
- Threats to publish private images also attract IT Act Sections 66E/67 and BNS defamation/intimidation provisions.
- Recorded calls, chat exports, and payment trails are admissible and decisive evidence.
- Police cyber cells run dedicated sextortion response — speed prevents publication far more often than payment does.
What You Can Get
How We Handle It
Discreet Evidence Capture
Chats, numbers, accounts, and demands preserved without alerting the extorter.
Strategy Call
Pay nothing; we plan the complaint to maximise arrest and minimise exposure.
FIR / Cyber Cell
FIR under Section 308 and IT Act provisions with the cyber cell where digital.
Neutralise & Prosecute
Blocking, takedown, arrests, and prosecution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I pay to protect my photos?
No — payment marks you as a paying target and demands always return. Fast reporting is statistically the best protection against publication.
Will my identity stay private?
We handle these matters discreetly; courts and cyber cells also have in-camera and identity-protection practices for sensitive cases.
Legal Connect connects you with independent criminal advocates; we are not a law firm and this page is general information, not legal advice. In an urgent arrest situation, call us directly on +91 22 6555 3444.