In a significant operation, Greater Noida police arrested a gang of six, including two women, for orchestrating a honey trap scheme. The group allegedly lured victims into meeting them and then threatened them with false rape accusations to extort money.
The investigation revealed that the gang employed female members to entice victims through phone calls, persuading them to meet in person under the pretense of partying. Once the victims arrived, they were assaulted and intimidated for money.
The gang members have been identified as Raj Chaudhary (the leader), Bhupendra Singh, Faizan Ahmed, Rahul Kumar, Sanjana Yadav, and Rifa alias Rustam. Ashok Kumar Sharma, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Greater Noida, noted that the gang targeted unsuspecting individuals, using deception to lure them into compromising situations.
The case came to light when a Moradabad-based man, referred to as Sameer, filed a complaint at the Beta-2 Police Station on Tuesday. He was lured by Rifa and asked to meet at the Pi-3 sector roundabout. Upon arrival, Sameer and his friends fell into the gang’s trap, leading Rifa to signal her accomplices.
The gang demanded Rs5 lakh from Sameer and his friends, threatening to falsely accuse them of rape. Out of fear, Sameer handed over Rs50,000, the only cash he had at the time.
Following the incident, Sameer reported the crime, prompting an FIR under several IPC sections, including 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult), 342 (wrongful confinement), 384 (extortion), and 120B (criminal conspiracy).
Police arrested the gang near Pari Chowk, and during interrogation, they admitted to committing similar crimes in the past near a farmhouse in Sector 135, Noida.