The Chenab Times has learned of a recent arrest in Mangaluru, Karnataka, where a 42-year-old man was apprehended in connection with an alleged conspiracy to extort money and property. The individual, identified as Naveen Thores, is accused of orchestrating a scheme involving serious false accusations, including murder, aimed at tarnishing a woman’s reputation and coercing her family. The case began to unfold when Maya Annamarie Rego filed a complaint at the Urwa police station on August 10, 2026. Rego alleged that fabricated and grave accusations of murder were being used as a tactic to extort assets and property, and to damage her family’s public image. Following her complaint, the Urwa police registered a case under Crime No. 83/2026, invoking Sections 61(a)(1) and 308(7) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). As the investigation progressed and evidence was examined, police arrested Naveen Thores, son of Joseph Thores, a resident of Ganamajal, Padavu, Shaktinagar, Mangaluru, on October 23, 2026. Thores was presented before the court on October 24 and subsequently remanded to judicial custody. While the investigation has led to Thores’ arrest, police indicated that the inquiry is ongoing, with further investigations planned to ascertain the potential involvement of other individuals in the alleged conspiracy.
This incident is one of several recent cases of extortion reported in and around Mangaluru. In a separate development on June 9, 2026, The Indian Express reported on the arrest of Youth Congress leader Nizam Ibrahim and his associate Jitesh in connection with a sophisticated extortion racket. This scheme allegedly involved honey-trapping a businessman, using intimate photographs and videos for blackmail, and even fabricating a suicide note to exert further pressure. The businessman reportedly paid approximately Rs 2.77 crore over a two-year period, from June 2024 to January 2026, before he recognized one of the accused, who was believed to be deceased, alive in Mangaluru, leading to the unraveling of the plot. The Indian Express reported that the extortion began with threats to circulate intimate photos online and to the businessman’s wife if he did not pay Rs 35 lakh. Later, the scheme escalated with claims of a suicide, involving photographs of a purported suicide note, and threats of criminal proceedings and imprisonment.
Additionally, in an August 27, 2026 report by The Times of India, two men were arrested in Udupi for alleged WhatsApp extortion. The individuals reportedly demanded Rs 5 lakh from a complainant over a purported fake diamond deal, threatening harm to the complainant’s wife if the payment was not made. The case was filed under various sections of the BNS, and the accused were remanded to judicial custody, with further investigation ongoing to determine if others were involved.
In another case from April 23, 2021, The Hindu reported the arrest of a 33-year-old man, Divyadarshan, in Mangaluru for extorting large sums of money from a Kerala-based entrepreneur, Mohammed Hanif, whom he had held hostage for months. Divyadarshan allegedly falsely claimed Hanif’s life was in danger and detained him in his apartment during 2019-20. He also demanded money on two separate occasions, totaling lakhs of rupees, and took possession of Hanif’s Jaguar car under the guise of settling a dispute. The accused had also reportedly contacted Hanif’s employer in West Asia and visited Dubai to reinforce the narrative of a threat to Hanif’s life.
Furthermore, a September 1, 2026 report from coastaldigest.com detailed the arrest of a 64-year-old man, Sam Peter, by the Mangaluru City Crime Branch (CCB). Peter was accused of impersonating officials from national investigative agencies to extort money from individuals involved in financial and legal disputes. He allegedly operated a gang that targeted people facing issues related to financial transactions, bank fraud, and tax evasion, threatening or misleading them into parting with money. Peter had previously been arrested in 2019 for similar activities but had absconded and was later traced and apprehended.
These incidents highlight a concerning pattern of extortion rackets operating in the coastal Karnataka region, involving various methods from sophisticated honey-trapping schemes and impersonation to more direct threats and hostage situations. The police are actively investigating these cases, working to dismantle organized criminal networks and bring all perpetrators to justice. The arrests underscore the ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies to combat financial crimes and protect citizens from exploitation.
The Chenab Times News Desk