Woman held for blackmailing seer with intimate video in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: The Central Crime Branch (CCB) has arrested a woman who allegedly blackmailed a seer with his intimate video, police officials said on Friday. 

The suspect is Vidya Biradar Patil, 35, who attempted to blackmail Rudramuni Swami from the Shadadkshari Mutt. She is currently in the CCB custody and further probe is underway to arrest two other suspects. 

According to the police, Vidya, who says she is a social worker from Bengaluru, used the explicit video and sought Rs 6 crore not to make it public. However, the seer approached the police. The CCB later filed a complaint. 

As per the FIR, on August 31, 2024, Vidya called Rudramuni and told him she was the president of the Karnataka Information Commission and the sister of Lokayukta Justice BS Patil. 

She allegedly told the seer that two people — Pallavi DB and Surya Narayana — submitted a complaint before relating to some videos about the seer.