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How 3 men on Gay dating app were robbed in a month in Pune

The break-through came in during the investigation of a first information report (FIR) lodged by a 27 year old man from Wagholi, at the Kondhwa police station.

5 min readPuneUpdated: Jan 23, 2026 07:33 AM IST

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The break-through came in during the investigation of a first information report (FIR) lodged by a 27 year old man from Wagholi, at the Kondhwa police station. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

The Pune city police have arrested a gang of five who allegedly robbed men looking for a same-sex relationships through “Grindr”, a dating application for LGBTQIA+ individuals.

Police have identified the accused persons as Rahil Akil Shaikh (19), Nuhan Naeem Shaikh (18) both from Kondhwa Budruk, Wahid Dastagir Shaikh (18) of Kondhwa Khurd, Shahid Shahnoor Momin (25) and Ishan Nisar Shaikh (25), both from Katraj.

The break-through came in during the investigation of a first information report (FIR) lodged by a 27 year old man from Wagholi, at the Kondhwa police station.

As stated in the FIR, the victim, working at a private company, was going to Swargate from the Katraj – Kondhwa road by bus, around 7.30 pm on January 11. It further stated that he received a message from an ID named “ImTop”, used by a person identifying himself as Rahil. The victim then spoke to Rahil on WhatsApp after.

The FIR mentions that Rahil called the victim to Kondhwa around 9 pm for “hook up”. Accordingly, the victim reached the spot. Here, Rahil came with his friend on a two-wheeler. The duo took the victim with them, saying they were going to Rahil’s house in Yewalewadi area. But, instead they took him to an open area in Pansare Nagar.

As per the FIR, Rahil called two more people at the spot. Rahil and the others beat the victim badly and threatened to kill him by pointing a “koyta (machete)”, they robbed his cell phone, gold chain, two gold rings, a silver ring and cash of Rs 800. They also snatched his ATM card and forcibly took the pin number, which they used to withdraw Rs 10,500 from the victim’s account, police said.

In fear that he would be outed to his family, the victim did not lodge a police complaint initially. But later, after discussing the incident with a relative, he approached the police and lodged the FIR on January 20.

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A team led by senior police inspector Kumar Gahadge of Kondhwa police station launched a probe. Cops checked videos captured by several CCTV cameras around the crime scene and other locations for clues. Also, police probed the cell phone number used by an accused for contacting the victim.

Based on inputs received by policemen Pushpendra Chavan and Suhan More during the investigation, the suspects were arrested from a spot near the residence of accused Rahil Shaikh, within a day. Police booked the accused persons under Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) sections 309(4), 115(2), 352,351(2)(3), 3(5).

Police sub inspector Ravindra Gawade, the investigation officer said, “The probe so far revealed that the accused have robbed at least two more through Grindr. Victims in both these cases have lodged separate FIRs at Kondhwa police station. We have seized three stolen cell phones, a koyta and two-wheelers used by the accused for committing the crimes.”

“The accused were targeting men looking for same-sex dating. The main accused Rahil had downloaded the Grindr app on his cell phone for this purpose. The accused believed that victims would not file any complaint with the police. One of the accused Ishan Shaikh has a previous criminal record of three cases, including one under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) and was currently out on bail. Further investigation is on.” he said.

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A court has remanded the accused to police custody till January 23. Police would further take custody of the accused in cases filed by two more victims, including a 24 year old man from Pisoli, working at a private company in Wakad.

Police said the accused contacted the man through Grindr, and called him to Kausar Baug area in Kondhwa for a meeting, on the evening of December 28, 2025. But later, the accused robbed his cell phone, ornaments and other valuables, all worth Rs 33,300, by pointing a sharp weapon at him. He too lodged the FIR late on January 20.

Police said, the accused similarly robbed a cell phone and money, all worth Rs 30,000, from a 32-year old man from Kondhwa, working at a prominent hospital in the city, around 8 pm on December 31, 2025. He lodged an FIR of robbery on January 1, but did not mention about the dating App in his complaint. But, a probe now revealed that he too was targeted by the accused through the Gay dating application, police said.

There have been multiple similar cases in the past. In July last year, the police had arrested two for allegedly robbing a 22-year-old restaurant staffer, after calling him for a meeting through a dating application for LGBTQ persons. The victim had lodged the FIR in this case at the Nanded City Police station.

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Even in previous cases, the police observed that the accused registered themselves on the dating app only to target gay individuals. Victims in most of these cases were found to be afraid of coming forward with complaints, as they did not want their families to know they were using such apps.
Police have appealed to people to be very cautious while using dating apps, and should report crimes to the cops immediately.

Chandan Haygunde

Chandan Haygunde is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With over 20 years of experience in journalism, he is one of the region's most authoritative voices on crime, national security, and legal affairs. Professional Profile Specialization: He specialises covering issues related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics racket, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. While working on the ‘Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation’ in 2012, he reported extensively on the illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He is at the helm of the widely read weekly series “Pune Crime Files”. He is widely recognized for his deep-dive coverage of the cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and the Elgaar Parishad investigation. Key Beats: His portfolio includes covering crimes mainly under the jurisdiction of Pune City, Pune rural and Pimpri Chinchwad Police, along with the sensitive cases from the state, being investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Background: Before his long tenure at The Indian Express, he worked with other Marathi and English publications, giving him a unique grassroots understanding of Maharashtra's socio-political landscape. Awards and Recognition: He got the CMS PANOS Young Environment Journalist Award in January 2014 for investigative reports on illegal activities in Sahyadri Tiger Rerserve. He received the award for outstanding investigative journalism by the Lokmat group in Pune in January 2020, “Missing since 2010, Pune youth a ‘Maoist Commander’ in Chhattisgarh”, which appeared on July 9, 2019. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) In recent months, Chandan’s reporting has focused on high-profile terror case investigations, inter-state firearms racket, leopard movements in Pune city, cyber scams and hearings of the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry. 1. High-Profile crimes and terrorism cases “Techie linked to Al-Qaeda preached democracy is against Shariat” (Nov 17, 2025). Reporting on the ongoing investigation into the arrest of IT professional Zubair Hangargekar (37) from Pune for alleged terror links. “The case against Jyoti Jagtap, member of ‘Maoist front’ Kabir Kala Manch and Elgaar Parishad organiser, granted interim bail by apex court” (Nov 20, 2025) Tracking the updates in the high profile Elgaar Parishad case related to the alleged naxal activities in urban areas. “How NIA arrested doctor turned ‘ISIS recruiter’ in Maharashtra terror module case” (Nov 24, 2025) After the arrest of doctors in Delhi Red Fort blast, a report on alleged terror links of a consulting anaesthetist from a Pune hospital. “A year after loco pilot averts tragedy by spotting gas cylinder on railway track, probe still inconclusive” (Dec 8, 2025). Report on the unsolved case of a suspected sabotage incident, which could have derailed a train. “No records of Sambhaji Maharaj’s cremation available: Author, ex-IAS officer Vishwas Patil tells Koregaon Bhima panel” (Dec 1, 2025) Reporting on a sensitive issue related to the Koregaon Bhima violence. 2. Inter-state firearms racket "Pune police swoop down on ‘village of pistols’ in Madhya Pradesh; 36 detained, 50 kilns destroyed" (Nov 22, 2025) "Recce a week before, microplanning: how Pune police raided ‘village of pistols’ in MP" (Nov 24, 2025) Reporting on the illegal gun manufacturing units in Umarti village, Madhya Pradesh 3. Cybercrime & Financial Scams “Pimpri Chinchwad police arrest ‘bank account supplier’ with links to China, nationwide cyber scams" (Nov 27, 2025) An investigative look at the modus opernadi of international cyber-gangs cheating high-earning professionals across the country ‘Your case linked to Pahalgam terrorist’: Pune businessman loses Rs 1.44 crore to fraudster posing as NIA chief" (Oct 18, 2025) Report on the tricks played on cyber scammers cheating people through digital arrest frauds Signature Style: The Investigative Hit Chandan is known for his ability to cultivate deep-cover sources within the police and intelligence agencies. His writing often goes beyond the "police version" of events, providing historical context and identifying systemic lapses. He is particularly respected for his balanced reporting on sensitive communal issues and his persistent tracking of the Maoist urban-link cases, making his columns essential reading for legal experts and policymakers. X (Twitter): @chandan_pune ... Read More

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