Himalaya Harbinger, Rudrapur Bureau.
The Udham Singh Nagar police have dismantled a honeytrap gang that extorted money from victims through blackmail and intimidation. The gang’s alleged mastermind, Damyanti alias Gauri Verma, a resident of Ward No 8 of Kichha, and her accomplice, Ajay Gupta, a resident of Ward No. 21 in Rampura of Rudrapur, were arrested on Saturday by a joint team of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit and City Police.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Manikant Mishra said, “The accused exploited vulnerable individuals by luring them into compromising situations and then extorting large sums of money through blackmail.” He added, “The accused have been booked under multiple sections of the BNS that address crimes like extortion, intimidation, and assault”. These include Section 115(2) (abetment of an offence punishable with imprisonment), Section 127(2) (punishment for extortion involving criminal conspiracy), Section 308(2) (attempt to commit culpable homicide), and Section 351(2) (use of criminal force). These provisions ensure stringent legal action against the perpetrators, reflecting the gravity of their offenses”.
The arrests were made following a complaint by Satnam Singh, a retired teacher from Kashipur. On October 21, Singh alleged that Damyanti, along with two accomplices—Vivek Bathla, who posed as a High Court lawyer, and Ajay Gupta—trapped him in a honeytrap. He claimed they coerced him at knifepoint, forcibly made him disrobe, and extorted Rs 3.65 lakh by transferring the amount from his bank account. Singh also reported that the gang physically assaulted him, seized his mobile phone, and caused him severe mental trauma, leading to hospitalization and surgery.
The SSP assigned Inspector Jeeto Kamboj, in-charge of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, to investigate. Preliminary inquiries confirmed the allegations, and an FIR was lodged against the accused under relevant sections of the BNS
“The operation exposed a gang that has victimized more than a dozen people. The accused are in police custody, and efforts are underway to nab the third accused, Vivek Bathla“, said SSP Mishra adding that he urges the public to report similar incidents immediately to prevent exploitation.
