For years, a ‘honey-trapping’ gang extorted people in Delhi — their jig was up this month

Months later, on December 24, three people were arrested for posing as policemen and honey-trapping victims — like the doctor — to extort them by Crime Branch sleuths, the Delhi Police said.

According to police, Neeraj Tyagi (42), Ashish Mathur (31), and Deepak (30), along with two women, had been running the operation for years. Police said their modus operandi was standard — the women would lure the victims while the men entered just at the “right” time, posing as cops, and threatened the victims with arrest unless they paid up.

Police said the first case by the gang came to light in 2019, where Ashish had hatched a plan to extort a man in Rohini.

“One of the women asked a man for a lift near BSA hospital. The man, who was on a two-wheeler, took her to her home where she invited him in. She then lured the man into getting physical with her… and as soon as she came close, Ashish, along with his two associates, entered the room dressed as policemen. They then asked for Rs 50,000 from the man and threatened him with a criminal case if he didn’t comply,” a police officer said.

However, the man only had Rs 8,000 which he gave to the accused. “The accused dropped him off near BSA hospital and fled. The victim then filed a police complaint at North Rohini police station,” the police officer added.

In 2024, police said, the doctor in Dwarka came on the gang’s radar. “One of the women called the doctor and told him that her mother was ill and that he should immediately come to her flat near Janakpuri Metro station. When he got there, she offered the doctor some snacks,” said Additional CP (Crime) Sanjay Bhatia.

Going by the playbook, the woman then allegedly seduced the doctor. “Four men barged into the room, two in plainclothes and two in uniform. They caught hold of the doctor and threatened him with criminal action for forcing himself on the woman. They then extorted Rs 9 lakh in exchange for not following up on their threat,” said Bhatia.

On December 24, the Crime Branch (NR-ll) received a tip-off about the movement of the three main accused. A team, led by Inspector Sandeep Tushir, under the supervision of ACP Narender Singh, intercepted a Hyundai i20 car near Budh Vihar nala, with the three men sitting inside.

“On being asked who they were, the three claimed to be in the Delhi Police. They showed their fake police ID cards and a head constable-rank uniform. The cards were found suspicious and they were asked to come to the Crime Branch office,” Bhatia said.

Scared of being caught, they tried to escape but were overpowered and caught, police said.

According to police, Neeraj, a resident of Tilak Nagar, got involved with the gang in 2015. He met Ashish, from the Karala area, in 2016, and aided him in the 2019 case in Rohini. Deepak aka Sajan, who hails from Karkhoda in Sonipat, was arrested in 2015 in a Rs 65 lakh dacoity case in Ashok Vihar, police said, and was released on bail later.

“They were involved in 10-12 cases of ‘honey-trapping’, but no cases were registered apart from the two (Rohini and Dwarka). A probe is on,” said Bhatia.