The six were arrested on a complaint filed by a senior engineer of the Indore Municipal Corporation.

The ongoing investigation into a honeytrap racket busted in Madhya Pradesh last week has revealed that the masterminds of the racket had set their sights on the national capital to bag central government work orders for their NGOs, besides major contracts for their corporate clients. In+ particular focus was a mega-project in Chhattisgarh they had planned to procure for one of their more influential clients by using their political and bureaucratic contacts.

Five women and their car driver have already been arrested in connection with the racket.

"They were largely concentrating on Chhattisgarh, given that they have close contact with two to three former ministers in the state as well as serving Indian Forest Service and Indian Administrative Service officers," a source said.

Sources revealed to NDTV that around a year ago, the masterminds of the racket had nearly managed to clinch a significant export-import contract from the central government for an NRI businessman with overseas interests. However, their efforts failed due to a last-minute issue.

On other occasions, they succeeded. One of the accused - who runs a factory near Bhopal - had even managed to land a plum contract for supplying components to a major public sector enterprise by using her contacts.

The racket followed a two-step process. First, the accused would develop sexual relations with powerful people such as politicians, bureaucrats and senior police officers. Later, they would blackmail them into providing work orders to their NGOs on projects related to skill development, training and publicity. Sometimes, they would even force the victims into arranging for high-profile government projects to be handed over to their corporate clients.

The five accused were arrested along with driver on Wednesday, after a senior engineer of the Indore Municipal Corporation lodged a complaint.