KOCHI: In another honey trap incident, the city police on Friday arrested two persons who allegedly extorted money from a businessman after taking his photographs with a woman in his moving car.
The arrested persons are Mahesh George, 32, and Shibu George, 28, both residents of Chakkupalam, Idukki.
The incident took place in the first week of January. The victim, who is running a job consultancy agency at Valanjambalam, received a call from a woman seeking a job. He asked the woman to come to his office. The victim received another phone call from her asking for the office’s address. On this, the victim promised to pick her up from her house. “When the victim reached the place to pick the woman up, two persons forcibly entered the car claiming to be police officers. They thrashed him inside the car and snatched away his mobile phone, `12,500 from his purse and a silver chain,” a police officer said.
Later, he was taken to Foreshore Road where a young woman and a man entered the car. The accused took photographs of the victim with the woman and threatened to post them on social media platforms. “After some time, the woman left the car and the victim was taken to a bar near Ernakulam North railway station. On the way, they withdrew `7,500 using the victim’s debit card. They also purchased a mobile phone worth `9,500 using his credit card. When the accused persons got inebriated in the bar, the businessman escaped with his car,” the officer said.
Fearing consequences, the victim did not lodge a complaint with the police. “However, the victim again got a call from the woman recently, asking him to meet her. On this, he decided to approach the police. We suspect that it is an organised gang. We have received information about other accused persons, including the woman, and they will be in our net soon,” the officer said.Both arrested persons were produced before the judicial magistrate court and remanded. The police will seek their custody in the coming days.