A 23-year-old man was arrested for allegedly using morphed photos to blackmail a woman on social media, the police said on Saturday.
The suspect, identified as Madhav, a native of Amritsar, had demanded Rs 5 lakh from a woman, threatening to circulate the images online if she failed to pay the money.
The case came to light after a woman complained that a man she had befriended on social media obtained her photographs after gaining her trust, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (North West) Bhisham Singh.
The police arrested the man, who used multiple fake accounts on social media but did not share any of his photographs or contact details, through digital forensics and technical surveillance, Singh added.
The DCP said that a phone containing several morphed photos was recovered from his possession. The case remains under investigation as the police are trying to identify other victims or potential accomplices involved in similar crimes, he added.
The police have asked netizens to remain vigilant and refrain from sharing personal details like photos or videos. Additionally, people have been advised to report cyber-related crimes at the earliest.