Date gone wrong: How Delhi cops busted honey trap-extortion racket
Investigators reveal modus operandi of gang that used fake police uniforms to threaten victims
“This was a well-organised racket where each member had a defined role — from creating fake profiles and luring targets to staging raids and collecting extorted money,” police said. A ‘right swipe’ and casual chats on dating apps like Tinder and QuackQuack are usually meant to spark new connections, often leading to plans for a coffee date and more. But for some users in Delhi, these meetings have turned into carefully planned traps.
Recently, the Delhi Police Crime Branch busted an organised honey-trap and extortion racket that preyed on users of dating applications by impersonating police officials. Four accused have been arrested in connection with the case.
According to investigators, the gang operated with a calculated modus operandi. Police said first, fake female profiles were created on dating platforms to lure victims. Once contact was established, conversations quickly moved offline. Victims were persuaded to meet in person, often at public places, before being taken to more isolated locations.
“One of the accused would impersonate a police official by wearing a uniform to create fear and legitimacy, after which victims were threatened with false criminal cases and forced to pay large sums as ‘settlement’,” said Pankaj Kumar, DCP, Crime Branch.
In one such case, police said, the complainant alleged that he was called to meet a woman at a popular outlet in Janakpuri after connecting on Tinder. He was then taken to a flat along with another associate. At the location, multiple men entered, including one in a police uniform, and threatened to implicate him in a false rape case unless he paid Rs 15 lakh.
The ordeal was not over as yet. Police said the victim was allegedly forced into his own car and driven around for hours, while being pressured to arrange cash and withdraw money from ATMs.
“This was a well-organised racket where each member had a defined role — from creating fake profiles and luring targets to staging raids and collecting extorted money,” Kumar said.
Acting on specific intelligence, a Crime Branch team laid a trap near Rajouri Garden on May 12. One of the accused, Sushil Kumar, was apprehended on the spot while wearing a fake police uniform, even as three others initially managed to escape.
Police said they were later tracked down and arrested. The accused have been identified as Deepak, Vinod and Neeraj, while efforts are underway to apprehend other members of the gang.
Police said the accused were not first-time offenders. Three of them had been previously involved in a similar case registered at Bindapur, while another had faced arrest in 2017 in a case involving a similar modus operandi.
Advising caution, Kumar said, “Citizens must remain careful while interacting with unknown persons through social media and dating platforms, avoid visiting isolated places with strangers, and report any suspicious activity or extortion attempt to the police immediately.”
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