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Journalism of Courage
Kolkata Police have arrested three men for their alleged role in an extortion racket involving a dating app commonly used by members of the LGBTQ+ community. The arrests came after a complainant approached the police on July 17, claiming that the victim was lured to a secluded location and coerced into transferring nearly Rs 97,000.
The FIR, filed at Ballygunge police station under Sections 308(2) (extortion) and 3(5) (common intention in criminal acts) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, alleges that the complainant met a man who identified himself as ‘Ashish’ through the app. The two allegedly then met in front of K B Motors on Gurusaday Road.
The victim was then allegedly taken to an abandoned hutment near Ballygunge Circular Road, where ‘Ashish’ and two others allegedly threatened to ruin the complainant’s reputation. Under pressure, the victim allegedly transferred Rs 96,888 across multiple bank accounts as demanded.
The complainant alleged that the accused had initially suggested meeting near Ballygunge railway station.
Following the complaint, the police launched a search operation and, acting on specific intelligence, arrested one of the accused—Bijay Stephen Singh (31)—around 1:15 am.
According to officers, further investigation is underway to trace the money trail and identify if the accused were involved in similar offences previously. Authorities are also examining whether the app was systematically misused to target individuals from the LGBTQ+ community.
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