The police have arrested two people in connection with honeytrapping a businessman and extorting Rs 40 lakh from him. They are on the lookout for seven others in the case. The development comes after the victim himself lodged a complaint naming nine people in the case.
Prabhu Hiremath, who has been rape in a sexual assault and honeytrap case, had befriended businessman Vinod recently and collected information about his transactions. He then gave Vinod’s contact number to Mumbai-based Pooja asking her to hook up with Vinod. Accordingly, Pooja started texting and calling Vinod.
Pooja once met in Hyderabad and again in a Bengaluru mall. During the visit to the mall, Pooja hugged Vinod, planted a kiss on him and took selfies. Following this, the honeytrap gang started threatening Vinod after he was brought to a lodge in Kalaburagi from Bengaluru in a car, Police Commissioner Dr Sharanappa said.
Vinod was told that Pooja belonged to the Tiger gang family of Mumbai and that they would no spare him. He was also told that Pooja had attempted to end her life by slitting her wrist. Two people, Vikram and Umesh, posing as Pooja’s brothers also picked an argument with Vinod. The main accused Raju Lengati, who had brought Vinod from Bengaluru to a Kalaburagi lodge in a car, then demanded Rs 1 crore and they finally settled for Rs 40 lakh, the police commissioner said.
After taking the money, differences broke out among the honeytrap gang members over division of the money following which Pooja had lodged a complaint of rape and honeytrap. Six people have been arrested in this connection.
Vinod, in his complaint with the Station Bazaar police, has named Raju Lengati, Prabhuling, Pooja, Vikram, Umesh, Manjunath, Aleem,, Sagar and Chandra. The police are on the lookout for the seven other accused and they will be arrested soon, Dr Sharanappa said.