BENGALURU: In a bizarre honey-trapping incident, a person who allegedly used his wife as bait to extort a 48-year-old businessman from Lancer Road in RT Nagar, has been arrested by the Central Crime Branch (CCB). The sleuths also arrested the woman, along with three others. The main accused had introduced his wife as a widow to the victim, and the two developed a physical relationship.
She then booked a hotel room in RR Nagar at the behest of her husband. Unaware of a plot, the victim went there, and was attacked by the accused, who demanded Rs 6 lakh. The incident came to light after the businessman approached police on Wednesday. The accused are identified as Sabha, her husband Khaleem Mohammed, Obed Khan, Atheeq, and Abdul Rakeeb.
Mohammed reportedly visited the victim’s shop in RT Nagar two months ago and had taken his mobile number. Twenty days later, Mohammed called the victim and introduced his wife as a widow and asked him to take care of her. The woman allegedly began visiting the victim at his house and the two allegedly got into a physical relationship. Sabha is also alleged to have been taking monetary benefits from the complainant.
“On Wednesday, the victim went to meet Sabha in a hotel room near RR Nagar Metro station. When he took her out for lunch, the other four accused stopped them and attacked the victim. The accused forcibly took his money, before threatening him to pay Rs 6 lakh, failing which they said they would reveal everything to his family. The accused also threatened to kill him if he did not pay up,” said an officer.
Following a complaint from the victim in the RR Nagar police station, the case was transferred to CCB, whose officers made the victim lure the accused near the RR Nagar Metro station to collect money. When the gang arrived, the CCB sleuths arrested them. The police suspect that the gang must have extorted money from other businessmen with the same modus operandi. An autorickshaw, a two-wheeler, Rs 4,000 in cash and six mobile phones have been recovered from the accused. A case of extortion by putting any person in fear of death or of grievous hurt (IPC Section 386), along with other Sections of the IPC have been registered against the gang members.