Archana Nag, a 26-year-old woman is a blackmailer who allegedly extorted money from rich and influential people such as politicians, businessmen and film producers by threatening them to make their intimate photos and videos public.

Hailing from a poor family in Kalahandi district, Archana Nag now owns a palatial house with imported interior decorations, luxury cars, four high-breed dogs and a white horse.

Police sources said that Archana initially worked for a private security firm and later joined a beauty parlour where she met Jagabandhu Chand of Balasore district and married him in 2018. It is alleged that she ran a sex racket while working in the beauty parlour.

Jagabandhu knew many influential people. Archana also befriended rich and influential people and is alleged to have provided them with company of women. Police claimed that she then took intimate pictures of these powerful persons and later blackmailed them for money.

In a complaint made at Nayapally police station, a film producer alleged that Archana demanded ₹ 3 crore from him after showing him his photos with other girls.

She was arrested on October 6, 2022 on the basis of another complaint by a girl who accused Archana of using her in this racket.

“An internal assessment made by the police revealed that the couple has acquired properties worth ₹ 30 crore in a span of only four years from 2018 to 2022,” a senior police officer said.

Bhubaneswar DCP Prateek Singh said, so far only two cases have been registered against Archana in this connection. Further investigation is going on in this regard.