Two members of a honey trap gang arrested by APMC Police for kidnapping and extorting a businessman in Navi Mumbai | Representational Image
Navi Mumbai: APMC police have arrested two of a five-member gang that lured a Koparkhairane-based businessman into a honey trap, kidnapped him under the pretext of a meeting, and confined him in a bathroom in Mumbai’s Dongri area. The accused have been identified as Abdul Raheem Sayyed (23), an unemployed man and Asif Yusuf Shaikh (29), an Ola driver.
According to the complainant, the accused men filmed an obscene video of the victim and also demanded a ransom of Rs 10 lakh. The APMC police registered a case of robbery, kidnapping, and extortion after the complaint was registered by the victim on March 19.
The victim, a 31-year-old medical shop owner, was targeted by the gang in December last year. Using a fake identity under the name ‘Alisba. “The accused contacted him via WhatsApp and built a romantic relationship over three months, gradually setting up their trap. On March 4, the complainant was invited for a meeting at a petrol pump in the APMC market area around 11.15 pm. Expecting to meet the woman, he arrived on his scooter, only to be confronted by five men in a maroon-colored car. The men ssaulted him, forced him into their vehicle, and abducted him to Dongri, Mumbai, taking his scooter along with them,” a police officer said.
Once in Dongri, the kidnappers then locked Khan in a bathroom, forcibly took cash from him, and recorded an explicit video. “To further intimidate him, they placed a knife on his neck and forced him to state on camera that he had willingly given them Rs 1 lakh. They also made him record another video surrendering his scooter in exchange for money,” the police said.
After this, the gang demanded Rs 10 lakh, threatening to send the obscene video to his wife and family if he failed to pay. They warned him against informing the police, stating they would kidnap him again if he did. Terrified, the complainant remained silent initially but later confronted his family and lodged a complaint with the APMC police on March 19.
The further investigations are on to nab the other accused.
