KOCHI: The police investigating the rape complaint lodged by a woman against a 38-year-old man in the city, whom she met on the dating app Tinder, have come across some startling revelations. It turns out that the 45-year-old woman had taken Rs 1 lakh from the man, who is married, after threatening to make their affair public. After taking the money, she had also signed an affidavit stating she would not disturb him or his family any more.
That’s not all. A similar case against the woman had been registered at the Karunagappally police station and its trial is currently under way. The latest evidence has confirmed police’s suspicion about the presence of racket that targets men via Tinder for blackmail.
“Trial of a somewhat similar case against the woman is under way at the Judicial First-Class Magistrate-I Court in Karunagappally. She is facing charges under IPC Section 354(C), 420 and 465. We heard about a few similar complaints against the woman, but need to verify it first,” said a police officer.
As per the case details at the Karunagappally police station, the woman has been accused of plotting a conspiracy to fleece a man after threatening to send some of their intimate pictures to his wife. In the incident in the city, the police said the man never expected that the woman would make the wild allegations of rape against him after taking the money. At present, the woman’s rape complaint is being probed by Panangad Inspector Suresh M R.
THE AFFIDAVIT
TNIE accessed the affidavit submitted by the woman. The names have been withheld. It reads: “..... I have registered in an online social networking application named Tinder and accordingly I got matched with.... We did develop a friendship through phone and met a few times. But after a few meetings, we both realised and decided to end our friendship due to some personal reasons.
Mr..... has agreed to settle all my claims including personal and financial by paying a sum of Rs 1,00,000 and I unconditionally accept the same....On the 2nd day of June 2021, I hereby received in cash an amount of Rs 1,00,000.....,I hereby undertake and swear that, I will not make any further personal or financial claims against Mr..... and will not file any claims or criminal complaints before any authorities including police against Mr..... or his family.”