Kochi: Another case of honey-trapping has been reported from here though the trail goes back to Qatar. A Keralite businessman with links in the Middle East is the latest victim of the racket which resorted to a much-used trick before blackmailing him. A four-member gang, including a woman, was arrested by the police for trying to extort money from the businessman by threatening to publish his nude photos which were reportedly taken in an apartment in the Arab country.
The arrested are Payannur native Savad, 25; Taliparamba native Ashkar, 25; Kadannappally native Muhammed Shafeeq, 27; and Ernakulam native Mary Varghese, 26. Savad is said to be the main conspirator of the crime.
Modus operandi
Mary befriended the businessman on Facebook while he was in Qatar. She then called him home where Savad had already placed hidden cameras in the room, police said.
Subsequently, the gang took nude pictures of him with the woman. After the businessman reached his native place in Kerala, the accused sent him the photos on the phone and threatened to make the pictures public if he did not give them Rs 50 lakh.
However, the businessman refused to give that much money and filed a complaint with the Ernakulam ACP K Lalji. The cops of the Ernakulam Central Police Station conducted a preliminary probe in Qatar and got the details of about the accused and their places of residence in Kerala.
As per the accused's instruction, the businessman had transferred a small amount of money to Savad's account. The police intensified their probe based on his bank account details. It was found that the accused had withdrawn money from an ATM in Taliparamba. Though more information about the accused were revealed, the cops couldn't track them down as they had switched off their mobile phones.
The police then found that they were using another phone number discreetly. They also realised the accused were planning to flee to Bengaluru.
Finally, the gang members were arrested from a lodge at Madikeri in Karnataka.
The police suspect that the accused could have duped other Malayalis too.
The probe team jointly led by Ernakulam ACP K Lalji and central inspector S Vijayashankar comprise ASI Kiran C Nair, ASI S T Arul, senior civil police officers E M Shaji, Anish, and O M Bindu.
Several honey-trapping rackets are reportedly active in the urban parts of Kerala.
