Expressing serious concern over gangs using women to ‘honeytrap’ men and extorting money through blackmail, a division bench of the Allahabad High Court has sought a thorough investigation to trace such gangs operating and targeting innocent people.

“If offences like these are permitted to continue, it would become difficult to live in a decent world,” the bench of Justices J J Munir and Tarun Saxena observed on March 30 while issuing the direction to the Uttar Pradesh government; Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department; Director General of Police; and Inspector General (IG) of Meerut Zone.

The bench was hearing a writ petition filed in one such incident in Bijnor district by a woman and three others, including two police constables and a local politician. The four were allegedly part of a honeytrap gang that targeted a local businessman through the woman.

All four accused had approached the court seeking relief in the case lodged against them. The counsel for the petitioners also prayed for withdrawing the petition, and the bench allowed it.

But the division bench observed, “… This is a matter which discloses a very pernicious state of affairs in society. The first petitioner [the woman accused] reached the third respondent [the alleged victim of honeytrap] over his WhatsApp and honey-trapped him, doing sweet talk. She called him over to a certain place in Bijnor, took him to a hotel, where she had carnal relations with him.”

The bench further observed, “During the escapade, she captured some video clips of the informant and resorted to blackmail. The other petitioners, who are said to be in connivance with the first petitioner, all men, are policemen. They are petitioners nos. 4 and 5, Lalu Yadav and Punit Tyagi. Petitioner no. 3 in this case, Shahbej alias Shanu, is a ward member [local politician], who was also involved with the first petitioner in the crime.”

“After the video was captured, it was passed on to the third petitioner [politician], who called the informant [the victim] to his place, where the two policemen were also there. They inquired if the informant… knew the first petitioner and showed him the video clip that had been deceitfully captured,” the court observed.

The man was then told that the woman wanted Rs 10 lakh, but it could be settled at Rs 8 lakh. The man said he was under great anxiety, mixed up with emotions of fear and shame.

As the blackmailing progressed, he did not part with money, but reported the case to the police, the court stated in its observation.

The bench further observed, “This is a very serious matter. While we accept the petitioners’ [the accused] prayer to withdraw this writ petition, we are of the opinion, on our own motion, that it requires thorough investigation to be undertaken by the Inspector General of Police of Meerut Zone. He shall alert the entire district police chiefs in the zone to maintain strict vigil if a gang of this kind is operating, or other gangs are also operating, blackmailing innocent people by utilising women for springing a honey trap, or in some other way, bringing about the same results.”

The petition is dismissed as withdrawn, but not without the directions that we have made above, the bench stated in its order.

It also directed the Registrar (Compliance) to communicate the order to the DGP, UP, Lucknow, the Inspector General of Police, Meerut Zone and Additional Chief Secretary (Home).

On January 23, a local businessman lodged a case at Kiratpur police station in Bijnor district alleging extortion by five persons including a woman. They demanded Rs 8 lakh from him, threatening to leak his intimate pictures with the woman if he did not pay the amount. The complainant alleged that the woman met him at a hotel on January 10, and they had an intimate encounter after talking on the phone several times. The complainant alleged the woman got their intimate pictures clicked before leaving the hotel room.

Later, on January 21, a local politician made a phone call and asked the complainant to come to his house, citing a complaint filed by the woman.

Two policemen, Lalu Yadav and Puneet Tyagi, were also present there and threatened him with police action for allegedly sexually exploiting the woman, he alleged, adding, that the two policemen met him the same evening and told him that the woman was demanding Rs 10 lakh for withdrawing her complaint, but they could manage it with Rs 8 lakh.

The complainant further alleged that the policemen asked him to pay Rs 8 lakh to Kiratpur ward member Shahbej alias Shanu, who would collect the money on behalf of the woman.

SP Bijnor Abhishek Jha said the two police constables, of the same police station, were suspended immediately and a departmental enquiry is underway.

A chargesheet has been filed in the court. Shahbej was arrested, while some others had secured anticipatory bail.