BENGALURU: The honeytrap case involving influential people seems to be snowballing just ahead of the December 5 bypolls. Some leaders of major political parties, including a few who are contesting the bypolls, now find themselves embroiled in the controversy.
A computer hard disk in the possession of the Bengaluru police is believed to have recordings of seven leaders in the honeytrap case.
The hard disk was seized by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) after the arrest of the kingpin Raghavendra alias Raghu, Pushpa and Pushpavathi.
“The hard disc seized from the accused has videos of seven other political leaders apart from the MLA from North Karnataka. We are investigating the case and not much can be revealed at this stage,” said a senior investigating official.
According to sources, the video recordings bear dates from 2017 and 2018. The mobile phones of the arrested which have been confiscated also have various photographs, WhatsApp messages, phone call details which has been exchanged between the accused and the victims.
Explaining how the case was unearthed, a senior police officer who did not want to be named, said that on November 23, a case was registered at Cyber Crime Police Station by an MLA from North Karnataka.
‘They would book rooms in posh hotels, meet girls there’
The complaint (No. 9970/2019) stated that he had been getting calls from a person identified as Raghavendra of Rayasandra who claimed to have videos of him with a girl. Raghu threatened the MLA that if he wasn’t paid Rs 50 crore, the video would be made viral.
The CCB found that the culprit Raghu, a native of Shivamogga, was a BCom graduate and was a seasoned cyber-criminal. Later, they nabbed him along with his girlfriend Pushpavathi, a beautician.
Along with another girl Pushpa, Rakesh and few others, they would trap political leaders, film their private moments and blackmail them. Fearing reputation several of them have allegedly paid money too.
“One MLA has even paid Rs 45 lakh to Raghu through RTGS,” said a source. The modus operandi was that Raghu would befriend MLAs at the Legislators Home.
He would then bring Pushpa and a few other girls and claim that they have come to the city for higher studies and need a place to stay.
Meanwhile, phone numbers would be exchanged in which the girls would befriend the MLAs and offer sexual favours.
“They would book rooms in posh hotels and meet the girls there. The girls would hide cameras in their handbags or sunglasses and record the whole ‘act’.
They would then send a clipping of the DVD and blackmail the leaders for money,” said the officer.
The police have so far seized a hard disk, a computer, some pen drives, mobile phones and hidden cameras from the accused and have submitted it to the 1st ACMM court in Bengaluru.
Further investigation is on to establish if there are any other businessmen or lawmakers who have been honeytrapped by the gang.