An Instagram influencer has been arrested on blackmail charges.

Karnataka: A 23-year-old social media food reviewer, known as ‘mr_a_titude’ on Instagram, has been arrested by Mangaluru CEN police for allegedly attempting to extort money from Hotel Nisarga. He had posted a negative review claiming he suffered food poisoning from the hotel’s food.

The accused, a resident of Kavoor, allegedly demanded money to remove the post, which accused the hotel of supplying contaminated food – even claiming it was served in jail – and threatened to scare away customers by spreading fear. He warned that the hotel’s reputation would be severely damaged if his demands were not met.

Following a complaint from the hotel on May 8, 2025, police registered a case and took the influencer into custody.

He was produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody. Investigations revealed that he already has four cases registered against him at the Surathkal police station, including charges of cheating, assault, criminal intimidation, and extortion. Digital evidence, including threatening messages, has been recovered.