Vadodara, Sep 2 : Rakesh Singh, the alleged mastermind behind a web of deceit and extortion targeting numerous women across the country, has been arrested by the cyber crime unit of Vadodara police. Singh admitted to having embarked on his cyber crime spree nearly eight years ago, driven by his desire for revenge after being jilted in a romantic relationship. The arrest was made on August 31. Hardik Makadia, Assistant Commissioner of Police (cyber crime), shared that Singh's account traces back to a past relationship where he expended a substantial sum of over Rs 1.5 lakh on a former girlfriend. However, when the relationship soured and ended, Singh's emotions took a darker turn, leading him down a path of seeking retribution against women while simultaneously amassing ill-gotten gains. Singh initiated contact with his victims through matrimonial websites, gradually cultivating a facade of trust. Exploiting this trust, he cunningly coerced them into sharing private photographs, weaponising their vulnerability for financial gains. Singh's elaborate ploy included maintaining no less than 10 distinct email IDs, allowing him to ensnare unsuspecting victims from different angles. To further entrap women, he even assumed the identity of a female online. Singh targeted more than 100 women across matrimonial websites and various social media platforms. Employing a mix of manipulation, blackmail, and false promises of employment, he coerced and extorted substantial amounts from his unsuspecting victims. Even divorced women seeking companionship were not spared from Singh's schemes. With an ability to adopt different personas, Singh assumed an array of identities to manipulate his victims. Whether posing as a business magnate, corporate executive, senior police officer, or even a judge, his deceptions knew no bounds. Singh took his ruse to the extreme by using a female police officer's photo as his WhatsApp display picture and even resorted to sending threatening messages to instill fear in his victims. Singh also indulged in escort services, financing luxurious hotel stays and servicing his home loan obligations with the illicit proceeds. His reign of cyber crime, however, came to an end when law enforcement authorities apprehended him in Bhopal. The arrest followed a complaint lodged by a woman from Vadodara, alleging that Singh had extorted lakhs of rupees from her through blackmail. /IANS