Man arrested for extorting bizman with a honey trap

Cops say accused, wife were running a racket; they caught him red-handed taking Rs5L from complainant

After a businessman from Vadgaonsheri faced an extortion threat of Rs 50 lakh over a honey trap he fell for, his complaint has led to the arrest of a 26-year-old man, who cops say ran this racket with his wife.

The anti-extortion and anti-narcotics squad of the crime branch set a trap on Thursday and caught the accused red-handed while he attempted to take Rs 5 lakh from the complainant.

The arrested person has been identified as Changan Nagar resident Salman Ahmed Ali. The victim had lodged a complaint against him with the anti-extortion squad of the crime branch, and a case has been registered against the accused in this matter at Bund Garden police station (PS) on Friday.

The complainant is in the business of making kitchen goods and owns a building in Vadgaonsheri, where he lives on the second floor with his family. The other flats in the structure are rented. Ali had come to live with on the first floor with his wife in July this year after an apartment became vacant.

After the complainant came down to the parking lot for a morning walk one day in August, Ali’s wife saw him, and sent him a vulgar message soon after. When Ali was not at home, the wife called the complainant over, and they had a sexual encounter. Thereafter, the woman chatted frequently with the complainant over the phone. A few days later, when she called him over again, Ali turned out to be at home. Seeing the complainant arrive, he revealed himself, then thrashed him and snatched his mobile. The accused also said they are leaving the flat immediately and vacated the next day.

Some days after this incident, Ali called the complainant and said he had installed CCTV cameras in his house, and taken videos of his wife with the businessman. He said the complainant and his family were respected in the area, and he would make the clips go viral if the businessman did not pay up Rs 50 lakh and settle the matter. Ali also sent him the video. After seeing the clip, the businessman lodged a complaint this week with the police commissionerate, where additional commissioner of police (crime branch) Ashok Morale and deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Bachchan Singh directed that the accused be arrested.Then, ateam of anti-extortion squad inspector Rajendra Mohite and sub-inspector Nilesh Mahadik set a trap. When Ali called the complainant to the Pune railway station area to take Rs 5 lakh from him, cops arrested him.

DCP Singh said, “The wife of the accused was also involved in this crime, and it was pre-planned. Both had come to Pune for a job, but faced financial problems and took to crime. We are investigating how many more people suffered in this honey trap, and appeal to the public to contact us directly if they have been at the receiving end.” Sub-inspector Mahadik added, “The accused mentally harassed the complainant and first demanded Rs 50 lakh, then settled for Rs 5 lakh. A has been filed against the accused under sections 384, 385 and 386 (all related to extortion) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).”