Lucknow: A Gomtinagar-based businessman has accused his former driver of extorting Rs 25 lakh by threatening to leak private photos and videos of his wife, and later demanding Rs 1 crore, police said on Tuesday.In his complaint, the businessman alleged he hired the accused in Jan 2026. During his employment, the driver allegedly accessed personal photographs on his phone and began blackmailing the family, threatening to make the material public unless money was paid.Fearing for their safety, the complainant said he paid around Rs 25 lakh over time via cash, cheques and UPI transfers. He also alleged that the accused issued repeated threats to kidnap and kill him, his wife and their minor son, creating a climate of fear within the family.The driver was sacked on March 29, but the threats allegedly continued. On June 10, the businessman’s wife received a WhatsApp message demanding Rs 1 crore, accompanied by fresh warnings.Two days later, three men allegedly arrived at the victim’s residence in a car and issued further threats before fleeing.Gomtinagar SHO Brijesh Chandra Tiwari told TOI that an FIR has been registered and a detailed probe is underway. He said teams are examining call records, WhatsApp chats and financial transactions to establish the money trail and identify other suspects.Police are also scanning CCTV footage from the area and working to verify the role of the three men who allegedly visited the house.
