New Delhi, May 26 (IANS): A 38-year-old woman was arrested on Thursday for allegedly extorting money from her brother by faking her own kidnapping, a police official said.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP), Harsh Vardhan said a complaint was lodged by the brother of the accused woman on May 25, saying that his sister had been kidnapped and he had also received extortion calls.

He also informed that the kidnappers also sent him a photo of his sister in which her hands were tied with a rope and mouth with a cloth.

Based on the brother's statement, the police registered a case under relevant sections of law and took up the investigation.

During the probe it was found that the mobile phone of the victim was switched off and was only available on WhatsApp through which the alleged kidnappers were communicating.

"Through technical analysis, the location was traced to a locality in Agra," the ADCP said.

A police team was immediately deployed to Agra where it searched nearly 50 hotels and resorts based on the victim's last location.

"During checking in a hotel in Tajganj Market, Agra, the entry of the victim was found to be made in the register of that hotel wherein the victim was found to have checked-in alone. On checking, the victim was found present in the room," the official said.

The victim was then examined and she revealed that she herself hatched a plan to stage her kidnapping and demanded ransom from her brother in lieu of her release.

The police brought her back to Delhi and arrested her under relevant sections of law for extortion. The investigation of the case is underway, the official added.