KOCHI: The four-member gang arrested by the Thrikkakara police for allegedly ensnaring a young businessman in the city in a honeytrap had targeted many city-based businessmen who are financially sound. The young businessman and a resident of Pachalam, on whose complaint the gang was busted, was lured to a house at Thrikkakara by the woman suspect. The gang captured his nude photographs, which they used for blackmailing the victim.
The police arrested Ajith, 21, of Puthuvype, Nishad, 21, of Thoppumpady, Nasni, 23, of Fort Kochi, and Sajid, 25, of Kozhikode, from Ernakulam and Kozhikode districts after launching an inquiry based on a complaint lodged by the victim. Explaining the modus operandi of the gang, police said the woman, Nasni, would get acquainted with the targeted victim over the phone and invite him to her rented house, where the latter’s nude photographs will be captured.
The gang would blackmail the victim threatening that they would make public the photos and extort money.“The victim in this case arrived at the house of Nasni at Mundampalam near Thrikkakara on her invitation. The other gang members held him captive in the house. They allegedly manhandled him and demanded money. Since he couldn’t pay up the amount demanded, he handed over his ATM card to the accused. The gang withdrew around `lakh using this card from his account soon after,” said police.
The gang used to move locations frequently after their operations and would come together for the next operation. The police recovered mobile phones stolen by the accused and ATM cards used for the transactions. All accused were produced before the court and remanded to judicial custody. Sajid is accused of sexually abusing a minor girl at Thamarassery while Ajith is an accused in a snatching case in Kochi. The duo was released on bail in these cases.
“We arrested Sajid and Nasni from Kozhikode last week and later took the others into custody from the city. “The gang withdrew Rs 42,000 from the victim’s account using the ATM card and more via Google Pay.
“They took away the victim’s mobile phones too. No other accused is involved in this crime,” said R Shabu, Inspector, Thrikkakara station.The honeytrap set up by city-based celebrity make-up artist Juli Julian, who was arrested along with her aide on the charge of extorting money from a young businessman, hit the headlines last year.