KOCHI: The Koothattukulam police on Friday arrested four persons including two women for honey-trapping a YouTuber. The police arrested Ali Ameen, 23, of Chadayamangalam, Kollam, Abhilash, 28, of Vattapara, Idukki, Athira, 28, of Santhanpara, Idukki, and Akshaya, 21, of Adimali, Idukki, following a complaint filed by a YouTuber from Manjeri, Malappuram, who posts family-related videos.
The police said the gang trapped the YouTuber thus: Akshaya and Ali Ameen were living together after having befriended each other through Instagram. Akshaya and Athira were friends with Abhilash. Akshaya accessed the contact number of the victim’s YouTube channel. She told the YouTuber that her brother was bedridden after an accident. Akshaya frequently contacted the victim and requested him to counsel his brother.
“Following persistent requests, the YouTuber agreed to meet Akshaya’s brother. Under the pretext of counselling, the YouTuber was taken to a lodge room in Koothattukulam on October 1. Only Akshaya was there in the room. After drinking a soft drink given by Akshaya, the victim fell unconscious. When he woke up, he found all the accused in the room. They took his photographs and videos after making him stand near the two women. They threatened him with circulating the photographs and videos on social media,” a police officer said.
The accused demanded Rs 5 lakh to keep the videos and photographs away from social media platforms. When the victim told them that he only had `10,000 with him, they took the money and forced him to transfer the ownership of his car to the name of the accused. Later, they left him at the Koothattukulam bus stand.
Puthencruz DySP T B Vijayan said the victim approached the police with the complaint on Thursday. Soon, the police launched a probe and arrested Akshaya, Ali Ameen and Abhilash from Karingachira. Athira was arrested from Edappally. The arrested persons were remanded to judicial custody.
“We are checking the call data records of the accused persons and their criminal antecedents are being investigated. The YouTuber’s has been recovered. We will file a petition seeking the custody of the accused persons on Monday,” Vijayan said.