Bail extended for alleged sextortion duo

Bail has been extended for 29-year-old Pranesh Sharma and 31-year-old Ria Ramira Chandra who are charged in relation to a case of alleged sextortion.

The couple appeared before Magistrate Sufia Hamza this morning.

Chandra appeared in court today with her lawyer while Sharma has asked for time to get legal representation.

Justice Hamza stated that they are to reappear on 19th September for mention for plea.

Police say on the 30th of June 2025, the victim had reported to the Online Safety Commission office that a couple was demanding money to pay for their rent, or they would release an explicit video they had obtained of him.

They say it is alleged that the victim was told that if he sent the money, the video would be deleted.

However, it is alleged that the couple demanded more money, which the victim sent as they continued to threaten to release the video.

Police say the couple allegedly threatened the victim to send money on several occasions where they managed to obtain over $1,800.

They have been charged with one count each of Traffic Obscene Publication; for recording an explicit video and was in possession of it, a second count of Posting an Intimate Visual Recording; for recording the explicit video without the victim's consent, and a third count of Computer related extortion and Fraud; in which the couple obtained $1,841 through mobile money transaction and cash delivered personally.