Two held for extorting money from men after getting them booked in fake rape cases

Investigators said the prime suspect, Binita Kumari (27), who hails from Bihar, was arrested from her rented accommodation in Block U, DLF Phase-3, on Wednesday. They said she worked as an advisor in a private information technology firm in the city

A woman resident of the city and her male friend, who runs an NGO in Delhi, were arrested on charges of extorting money from at least 12 men after threatening to implicate them in fake rape cases after “honey-trapping” on dating apps, police said on Thursday.

Gurugram, India-June 08, 2023: Vikas Kaushik, ACP DLF, Harinder, ACP Pataudi and Dr. Kavita, ACP address a press conference after arrested two accused allegedly involve in honey trap case in Commissionerate building, in Gurugram, India, on Thursday, 08 June 2023. (Photo by Parveen Kumar/Hindustan Times)(Pic to go wiith Debashish Karmakar's story)

Police said the duo had got five fake rape cases registered against their victims, using which they extorted money from them. Of the five, four cases were registered at different police stations of Gurugram, said police.

Investigators said the prime suspect, Binita Kumari (27), who hails from Bihar, was arrested from her rented accommodation in Block U, DLF Phase-3, on Wednesday. They said she worked as an advisor in a private information technology firm in the city.

Vikash Kaushik, assistant commissioner of police (DLF), said before her arrest, her male associate, Mahesh Phogat (30), who hails from Rohtak, was arrested from Sector 24 in DLF Phase-3 when he reached there to collect extortion money from one of their latest victims.

“There, she tried to get him drunk but the victim suspected foul play and immediately left the spot. However, later she threatened him over the phone that she was going to approach the police saying he molested her,” Kaushik said.

The ACP said Kumari and Phogat asked him to pay ₹5 lakh to avoid a case but settled for ₹2 lakh after negotiations.

“The victim had already paid them ₹50,000 on Wednesday. He then approached DLF Phase-3 police station and submitted a complaint after which we launched an investigation and arrested them after laying a trap,” the ACP said, adding that ₹50,000 extorted from the victim was also recovered from Phogat after his arrest.

Investigators said in the course of the duo’s interrogation, it surfaced that they had extorted money from at least 12 other men using the same modus operandi.

Both of them were booked in a FIR registered under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 384 (extortion) and 389 (putting a person in fear of an accusation of an offence) of the Indian Penal Code at DLF Phase-3 olice station on Wednesday.