Central Crime Branch

Silk Board

A gang of four people, including a woman, have been arrested for fleecing money from techies after laying a honeytrap. The arrested, three of them in their 20s and one in his teens, would allegedly target victims at IT companies.According to the police, the woman, 25-year-old Latha, used to lure the victims and then trap them. Other members of the gang — Pavan, 24, Raghavendra, 20, and Kiran, 19 — would make videos and take photographs of the victims in compromising positions and then extort money from them.The gang was arrested on Sunday aftersleuths and the South East division police conducted a joint operation. The police suspect more people are involved in the crime and are on the lookout.After separating from her husband, Latha, a resident of Chikka Begur, formed a team with her paramour, Kiran, and others, the police said.Explaining their modus operandi, the police said the gang would initially zero-in on a target and follow the person for a few days. They mostly targeted people who travelled alone in cars. Latha would pretend to be looking to hitch a ride. En route, she would lure the victims and take them to her place.“At her home, she would seduce them into having sex with another woman. She would then call her associates, who would come and film the victim in compromising positions. Later they would blackmail the victims,” said an investigating officer.The incident came to light after one of the victims approached the police. This victim was asked to pay `50,000. The gang had threatened to upload the videos on social media if he failed to pay up.“The gang had taken away the victim’s mobile phone and had given him another phone for the conversation. The police asked the victim to ask the accused to come near. When one of the accused, Kiran, came to the victim unaware of the police presence in mufti, he was caught and subsequently the other gang members were also arrested,” the officer said.The Begur police has registered a case in this regards and are investigating.