In a chilling case of honeytrap extortion, Ahmedabad Crime Branch has busted a gang accused of blackmailing a local businessman and extorting ₹1.59 crore by threatening to file false cases of assault and molestation. The accused lured the victim through a dating application and staged the incident in a Delhi hotel, allegedly with the involvement of some police personnel.
The victim, a resident of Panjarapol area, approached the Crime Branch after falling prey to the gang’s elaborate scheme. According to officials, the businessman, identified as Rahul (name changed), had been using the Tinder dating app following his divorce. Through the app, he came in contact with a woman who introduced herself as Jhanvi. After exchanging numbers, the two began chatting over WhatsApp.
Jhanvi persistently urged Rahul to meet her in Delhi, where he frequently travelled for work. In 2022, when Rahul was staying at the JW Marriott Hotel in Aerocity, Delhi, Jhanvi arranged to meet him but instead sent another woman to his hotel room. Rahul reportedly spoke to the woman and handed her ₹25,000 before she left after about 20 minutes.
Later that night, Rahul received a WhatsApp message from Jhanvi claiming that the woman he had met had been assaulted and was bleeding, and that a police complaint had been filed against him. Using this as leverage, Jhanvi and her gang allegedly extorted over ₹1.59 crore from the businessman under the threat of police action and criminal charges.
The accused also allegedly misused the names and positions of Delhi Police officials to intimidate Rahul further. Jhanvi is said to have filed an application at DLF Phase 1 police station in Gurugram, where Rahul was called for questioning by a man identifying himself as Sub-Inspector Koshlendra. On reaching the station, Rahul was taken to the first floor, where officers allegedly threatened him with multiple criminal charges.
Rahul was reportedly taken outside the police station by the accused officer, where he was kept under duress for two hours before being forced to hand over ₹1.5 lakh in cash. Later, the gang extorted further sums under the guise of settling the matter through the Delhi Crime Branch.
After the accused changed their phone numbers, the Ahmedabad Crime Branch tracked them down using technical surveillance and arrested two men from Bihar. They are currently in police remand, while investigators believe more people, including possibly police personnel, may be involved.