Bengaluru: A dangerous honey trap racket operating through the Telegram messaging app has been unearthed in the city, with RR Nagar police arresting five persons, including two women, on charges of extortion, assault and robbery after a software engineer was targeted twice using the same modus operandi.

Software engineer lured through Telegram

The case came to light following a complaint by a software engineer, who alleged that he was trapped and extorted after being contacted by women through Telegram. According to police, the accused used dating-style conversations to gain the victim’s trust before luring him into compromising situations and demanding money.

Investigators said the gang carefully selected victims who appeared financially stable and exploited their vulnerability by posing as women interested in casual meetings. Once contact was established, the conversations were gradually steered towards arranging paid meetings.

First incident involved extortion threat

In the first instance reported in the complaint, a young woman contacted the software engineer via Telegram and engaged him in friendly conversations over a period of time. She later allegedly fixed a meeting for ₹20,000 and invited him to her house.

When the victim arrived at the location, he was allegedly confronted and threatened. Police said he was pressured to pay money under intimidation, fearing further harm or false allegations. Although shaken by the incident, the victim did not immediately approach the police, believing the matter had ended.

Officers said such hesitation is common in honey trap cases, as victims often fear social stigma, embarrassment or legal complications.

Victim trapped again by same gang

Despite the earlier incident, the same victim was contacted again on December 20 in a similar manner. Police said the accused deliberately targeted him a second time, assuming that he would not lodge a complaint.

This time, the woman asked him to come to RR Nagar. When the software engineer reached the spot, three men joined the woman. The victim was allegedly assaulted, threatened and forced to pay money. The gang is accused of carrying out the honey trap operation twice on the same person, indicating a well-planned extortion racket.

After the second incident, the victim decided to approach the RR Nagar police station and lodged a formal complaint, detailing both instances.

Police investigation and arrests

Following the complaint, RR Nagar police launched a swift investigation. Based on technical evidence, call records and information provided by the victim, police tracked down the accused and arrested all five members of the gang.

The arrested women have been identified as Anjali (28) and Harshini alias Sweety (26), both of whom are said to be working as makeup artists. Police said they played a key role in initiating contact with victims and luring them to pre-decided locations.

The three male accused have been identified as Jagadish (35), Manjunath (30) and Lokesh (32). According to investigators, they assisted in threatening, assaulting and extorting money from the victim once he reached the location.

Police are now verifying whether the gang targeted other victims using the same method and whether similar complaints have gone unreported.

Charges and legal action

A case has been registered at the RR Nagar police station under relevant sections pertaining to assault, robbery and criminal intimidation. The accused have been produced before a court and further investigation is underway.

Police said they are examining the mobile phones and Telegram accounts used by the accused to identify additional victims and to determine the full scale of the racket.

Police warning to public

Senior police officials have cautioned the public to remain alert while interacting with unknown persons on social media and messaging platforms such as Telegram, especially when conversations involve dating, paid meetings or personal invitations.

They advised citizens to avoid sharing personal details, photographs or location information with strangers online and to immediately report any suspicious activity to the police.

Cybercrime experts said honey trap cases are increasing due to the ease of creating fake profiles and the anonymity offered by messaging apps. They stressed the importance of digital awareness and timely reporting to prevent such crimes.

Conclusion

The busting of the Telegram-based honey trap racket highlights the growing misuse of social media platforms for organised crime. Police officials said strict action against the accused should serve as a warning to others involved in similar activities, while urging victims not to remain silent and to come forward without fear.