Udupi: Udupi city police have arrested a schoolteacher and another person for allegedly blackmailing a man and extorting Rs 42.97 lakh from him after he rejected her marriage proposal. The alleged extortion took place over two years, between January 2024 and January 2026.

The arrested have been identified as Nagarathna H (42), a native of Mayyadi in Yadtare, Byndoor taluk, currently residing in Basaveshwaranagar, Bengaluru, and Hemanth (41), a native of Miyar in Karkala, presently residing near Majestic in Bengaluru.

The complainant, Pradeep K, is an employee of Nirman Vividhodesha Souharda Sahakari Sangha in Udupi. According to his complaint, he had been searching for a suitable marriage alliance when he came into contact with Nagarathna through a matrimonial application.

Contact through matrimonial app

According to the complaint, Pradeep came into contact with Nagarathna in January 2024 through the Kannada Jodi Matrimony application.

Nagarathna reportedly introduced herself as a Kannada teacher at S Kadambi Vidya Kendra in Basaveshwaranagar, Bengaluru. She also stated that she originally belonged to Henberu, Badabettu in Byndoor taluk.

During their interaction, Nagarathna reportedly proposed marriage to Pradeep. However, he declined the proposal, stating that he intended to marry someone from his own caste.

Following his rejection, Nagarathna allegedly continued contacting him frequently through phone calls and messages. She reportedly cited serious personal and financial difficulties and sought his financial assistance.

According to the complaint, she gradually persuaded Pradeep to transfer money in several instalments.

Rs 42.97 lakh allegedly transferred over two years

The money was reportedly transferred not only to Nagarathna’s bank account but also to the accounts of people known to her.

These included her colleague Hemanth Karkera, her aunt’s son Pramod and her elder sister Renuka.

Between January 2024 and January 2026, Pradeep allegedly transferred a total of Rs 42,97,350 to the accounts linked to the accused and their associates.

The complainant subsequently sought the return of the money. However, instead of repaying the amount, Nagarathna allegedly resorted to threats and blackmail to prevent him from pursuing the matter.

Threatened to file false complaint and damage reputation

According to Pradeep’s complaint, Nagarathna threatened to file a police complaint falsely alleging that he had been involved in an illicit relationship with her.

She allegedly warned that she would visit his workplace in Udupi and create a scene in front of his colleagues and customers, thereby damaging his reputation.

She also allegedly threatened to ensure that he was sent to jail.

In another serious threat mentioned in the complaint, Nagarathna allegedly said she would write a suicide note accusing Pradeep of misappropriating funds belonging to his organisation to cheat her, before setting herself on fire.

The threats reportedly left Pradeep concerned about the possible consequences to his personal and professional reputation.

Following the alleged extortion and threats, he approached the Udupi city police and lodged a formal complaint seeking action against those involved.

Special team formed to investigate case

Based on Pradeep’s complaint, Udupi city police registered a case against Nagarathna, Hemanth Karkera, Pramod and Renuka on charges relating to alleged extortion and cheating.

Under the guidance of Udupi city police inspector Mahesh Prasad, a special investigation team was constituted to trace the accused and investigate the financial transactions.

The team comprised sub-inspectors Bharatesh Kankanawadi and Rathnakar K, along with police personnel Prasanna C, Jeevan Kumar, Jagannath Naik, Hemanth Kumar and Savitha.

The investigation focused on the alleged money transfers to multiple bank accounts and the threats made to the complainant when he demanded repayment.

Two accused arrested in Bengaluru

On October 26, the special police team apprehended Nagarathna and Hemanth at two locations in Bengaluru.

While Nagarathna was arrested from Basaveshwaranagar, Hemanth was apprehended at Kempegowda Bus Station near Majestic.

The two accused were subsequently produced before the investigating officer and presented before the court. The court remanded them to judicial custody.

The police are continuing their investigation into the alleged extortion and cheating case. Pramod and Renuka, whose bank accounts were allegedly used for receiving money, have also been named in the complaint.

The case highlights the risks associated with financial transactions arising from matrimonial contacts and the importance of exercising caution when responding to requests for money from people met through online matchmaking platforms.