Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni has alleged that there "has been an attempt to blackmail him with videos of the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri, the police said as five people were arrested today," according to ndtv.com.

The arrested, all BPO workers, had tried to extort crores from Ajay Mishra, Minister of State, Home, "claiming they had incriminating videos and other evidence on him linked to the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh, sources said."

Mishra, according to police lodged a complaint on December 17 after which his house in Delhi was placed under surveillance.

Four of the men were arrested from Noida and one from Delhi.

"We received a complaint from the minister's staff that he had received phone calls for money. An FIR was lodged in the New Delhi district," said a Delhi Police officer as quoted by ndtv.com.

The Union minister's son Ashish is an accused in the case related to running over farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3. He has been in jail since October.