An official said a trap was laid to arrest the gang members yesterday night. (FILE PHOTO)

Fifteen people, including a police sub-inspector and three constables, were arrested in Uttar Pradesh's Noida for allegedly extorting money from car drivers after threatening them with rape charges, officials said on Tuesday.

Two women, who were also involved in the crime, were caught red-handed while "settling a matter" with a victim for Rs 50,000 late on Monday night near Sector 44 police outpost, they said.

A few days ago, the Noida police were alerted about a gang that extorted money from car drivers near Sector 44 police outpost, senior superintendent of police, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Vaibhav Krishna, said.

"A woman member of the gang would hitch a car ride and ask the driver to stop the vehicle near the Sector 44 police outpost. She would then approach the PCR (police control room) van stationed nearby and complain to the police personnel of rape by the car driver," he said.

"The matter would then be taken to the police outpost, where some 'relatives' of the woman would also arrive. Then they would threaten the driver with legalese and he would eventually offer to settle the matter in lieu of some money," he added.

Mr Krishna said a trap was laid to arrest the gang members yesterday night.

The accused were caught red-handed while accepting money from a car driver, who had been set up by the police, for settling a matter, he said.

A total of 15 people have been arrested, including the Sector 44 police outpost in-charge Sunil Sharma, constables Manoj, Ajayveer and Devendra, three private drivers of PCR 50 and two women, the police said.