What began as a seemingly promising date for a Bengaluru-based techie turned into a harrowing extortion ordeal, revealing a well-orchestrated criminal racket operating through dating apps.
According to a report by NDTV, the man had matched with a woman named Sangeetha on Bumble and spent several weeks exchanging casual texts and video calls. After a month of online interaction, the two decided to meet at a coffee shop in the city. What followed initially felt like a natural progression, Sangeetha suggested they get a room to relax and have a few drinks.
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However, the situation took a dark turn.
As the two were sitting and chatting, four men suddenly barged into the room, accusing the techie of being part of a drug party. Claiming they would call the police, they demanded to search the room. During the confrontation, they pulled out packets of white powder from Sangeetha’s bag, alleging it was narcotics.
In a dramatic twist, Sangeetha began crying and locked herself in another room, threatening to end her life, claiming she couldn’t face the consequences. Fearing arrest and public humiliation, the techie pleaded with the group. They initially demanded ₹15 lakh as a settlement, but after negotiations, he ended up paying ₹2 lakh to be let go.
Three days later, the man approached the police, leading to a deeper investigation that uncovered an elaborate date-extortion scam, the report further added.
{{/usCountry}}Three days later, the man approached the police, leading to a deeper investigation that uncovered an elaborate date-extortion scam, the report further added.
{{/usCountry}}Authorities confirmed that the entire encounter, from the dating app match to the staged panic, was pre-planned. The white powder used to frame the victim turned out to be baking soda, not drugs. Sangeetha was part of the gang, and the meeting was a trap to extort money.
As per the publication, police arrested six people in connection with the case: Sharanabasappa, Raju Mane, Shyam Sundar, Abhishek, Birbal, and Sangeetha.
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