Delhi HC asks police chief to break honey trap web

NEW DELHI: Taking note of increasing number of cases of extortion by “honey trapping” unsuspecting people, Delhi High Court has asked the city police commissioner to step in.
Justice Suresh Kait on Tuesday asked the police chief to call for reports from all police stations of cases of “honey trap” or extortion, and take action.
Giving him four weeks’ time, the high court, while granting anticipatory bail to a rape-accused businessman who complained of extortion by being lured into a sexual encounter, added that “if the commissioner feels similar type of incidents had happened in Delhi in the year 2020, he shall issue standing orders to all the concerned police stations that action may be taken as per law, however, without harassing such person/alleged accused therein.”
The court observed, though acceptance of allurement is not justified, allurement advanced for extortion of money is also not acceptable, saying it wants the police chief to “personally look into the matter” and find out if the woman complainant in the current case and her accomplice have indulged in similar alleged extortion with others also.
It directed the man, represented through senior advocate Vikas Pahwa, to cooperate with the investigation and make himself available for interrogation and that he shall not contact or influence the woman and prosecution witnesses.
Based on the complaint of rape filed by the woman, the prosecution said the two were strangers till August 24, and as she was looking for a job, she got the man’s number and texted him. Within hours the conversation turned personal and a meeting was fixed and the woman sent her location where the man came with a bottle of wine the same night, it alleged.
It alleged that after drinks, the man raped her and she called her neighbour for help. When she came, she saw the man running away from the woman’s house and the matter was reported to police.
However, the businessman cited WhatsApp chats, claiming the woman had got the man’s number through an online job portal and she asked him whether he was looking for any personal assistant.
When the man said yes, the woman, instead of sending pictures in professional suits or attire, sent him her sensuous pictures in bathing suits or bikinis, he alleged. Pahwa argued that during the entire chatting, there was no whisper of any job opening or salary structure and work timings, rather she shared her bikini pictures by the pool to allure the man.
“The modus operandi, which is prevailing nowadays in such cases can be divided into three parts. First — contact random strangers by different modes viz. WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and other social networking sites; second — if the person responds, means he is interested, then seduce him/her by sending pictures, videos or chatting; third — when the strangers were trapped, call him / her at home and then make videos, level false charges/accusations, intimidate and thereafter demand money,” the accused submitted.