Rajkot: The Rajkot Cyber Crime Police have booked 12 individuals, including a homeopathy doctor and several self-styled journalists, in an alleged surveillance and extortion case. The main accused, Dr. Kamal Nandha, a homeopathy practitioner, is accused of secretly installing a hidden camera inside an Ayurveda doctor’s clinic to record private moments and later using the footage for blackmail.

According to the police, Nandha, who holds a BHMS degree, was known to the complainant, an Ayurveda practitioner who runs multiple clinics in the city. He used to refer patients requiring injections to one of the complainant’s clinics, which gave him access to the premises.

The complainant had allowed a woman acquaintance to work from his second clinic on Sadhu Vasvani Road. Investigators said Nandha, suspecting a relationship between the two, allegedly installed a hidden camera inside a lamp holder in the examination room.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Jagdish Bangarwa said the accused secretly recorded activities inside the clinic, shared the footage with some media persons, and tried to extort Rs 25 lakh from the complainant by blackmailing him. The complainant allegedly paid Rs 50,000 under pressure before approaching the police.

So far, 12 people have been booked by the police, including Dr. Nandha and Hiren Makwana of Satya Ni Garjna News, Ajay Chudasama, Hardik Dodiya, Jagdish Teraiya of Rajkot Headlines, Jigar Sodha of Bharat Times, Ghanshyamsinh of Bharat Times, Jatin Nathwani of Bharat Times, Swati Nathwani, Amit Thakkar of Bharat Headlines, and Bharatbhai of B1 News, among others.

The Cyber Crime Police have registered an FIR under Sections 308(5), 308(4), 351(2), 356(3), 54, and 61 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with Sections 66(e), 67, and 67(A) of the Information Technology Act.

Investigators suspect that the accused was infatuated with the woman and installed the camera to confirm his suspicions. The camera reportedly captured private moments between the two as well as footage of patients being examined. Police estimate that between 2023 and mid-2024, around 3,000 to 4,000 video clips were recorded.

Police said the victim was repeatedly harassed, after which a case was registered following preliminary verification of evidence. No arrests have been made so far. DeshGujarat