Ex-Journalists Nabbed in ₹65 Crore Extortion Racket; Authorities Seize Lakhs in Cash

Former Anchor Among Two Arrested in Rs 65-Crore Blackmail Racket in Noida.

Noida Police on Tuesday arrested two individuals, including a former female TV anchor, in connection with a ₹65-crore blackmailing racket involving fabricated sexual harassment allegations.

The accused have been identified as Shazia Nisar, a former anchor with a private news channel, and Adarsh Jha, who was working in the digital department of another media outlet.

According to the police, the duo allegedly targeted senior officials of a private news organization, threatening to falsely accuse them of sexual harassment unless a hefty sum was paid. The extortion amount reportedly began at ₹5 crore and was later increased to ₹65 crore.

Audio and video evidence of the threats has been recovered by investigators, confirming the extortion attempts.

Following a formal complaint, officers from Noida’s Sector 58 police station launched an investigation. A search at Shazia Nisar’s residence led to the seizure of ₹34.5 lakh in cash. Both suspects were taken into custody shortly afterward.

The accused were produced before a local court and have been remanded to 14 days of judicial custody. Police officials said further investigation is underway to identify other individuals who may be linked to the racket.