Cops bust gang that lured bizman into honeytrap, duped him of ₹25L
The Gamdevi police have busted a ‘friendship club’ racket and arrested four members of the gang that would lure victims into a honeytrap and stage police raids wherein fake cops would demand money to hush up the matter.
The arrested accused —Andheri resident Daliya Sumasti (51), gang leader Ayub Rahman Khan, and Ganesh Solanki and Raghvendra Aotgire, who posed as policemen—have been booked for cheating, impersonation and criminal conspiracy. The police are on the lookout for their six accomplices, including three women.
The arrests were made based on a complaint by a businessman from Bhulabhai Desai Road who was cheated of Rs 25 lakh by the ‘friendship club’ members.
The complainant said that in April, a woman, who identified herself as Gimmy, called on his phone and offered membership in her ‘friendship club’. “They would chat every day,” said a police officer. “In May, Gimmy asked him to meet her outside Andheri station. She then took him to a flat in Amboli, where she introduced him to two other women saying they were her friends. She then offered him a drink.” The complainant told the police that half an hour later, two men rang the doorbell. “They said they were policemen and had received a complaint about a prostitution racket being run at the flat. “They demanded Rs 10 lakh from the complainant to not book him in a prostitution case. The victim bargained and said he would give Rs 5 lakh. They agreed,” said the police officer. The complainant said that he took ‘policemen’ Solanki and Aotgire to his bank in Babulnath, withdrew Rs 5 lakh and gave it to them.
In June, the victim got a call from another woman, who identified herself as Anita Mistry and said she wanted to be his friend. On his birthday, Anita asked him to meet her in Dahisar and sent her address on WhatsApp. “The complainant said there were two other women in the flat, who Anita introduced as her paying guests. While the two women sat in the living room, Anita asked him to follow her to the bedroom and offered him a drink,” said the police officer. After 15 minutes, Solanki and Aotgire raided the flat and ‘busted’ a prostitution racket. This time, they sought Rs 15 lakh, but the victim bargained and brought it down to Rs 5 lakh. Again, he took them to his bank, withdrew cash and gave it to them.
A week later, an unidentified man reached the businessman’s residence and demanded he pay Rs 15 lakh else the two ‘cops’ would arrest him in the prostitution racket. The complainant panicked and paid up. After a few days, he realized that he had been duped and approached the Gamdevi police. Following a probe, the police tracked down Khan in Bhayander two weeks ago. His interrogation led them to Solanki and Aotgire. The police suspect the gang might have duped several men using this modus operandi.
The Gamdevi police have busted a ‘friendship club’ racket and arrested four members of the gang that would lure victims into a honeytrap and stage police raids wherein fake cops would demand money to hush up the matter.
The arrested accused —Andheri resident Daliya Sumasti (51), gang leader Ayub Rahman Khan, and Ganesh Solanki and Raghvendra Aotgire, who posed as policemen—have been booked for cheating, impersonation and criminal conspiracy. The police are on the lookout for their six accomplices, including three women.
The arrests were made based on a complaint by a businessman from Bhulabhai Desai Road who was cheated of Rs 25 lakh by the ‘friendship club’ members.
The complainant said that in April, a woman, who identified herself as Gimmy, called on his phone and offered membership in her ‘friendship club’. “They would chat every day,” said a police officer. “In May, Gimmy asked him to meet her outside Andheri station. She then took him to a flat in Amboli, where she introduced him to two other women saying they were her friends. She then offered him a drink.” The complainant told the police that half an hour later, two men rang the doorbell. “They said they were policemen and had received a complaint about a prostitution racket being run at the flat. “They demanded Rs 10 lakh from the complainant to not book him in a prostitution case. The victim bargained and said he would give Rs 5 lakh. They agreed,” said the police officer. The complainant said that he took ‘policemen’ Solanki and Aotgire to his bank in Babulnath, withdrew Rs 5 lakh and gave it to them.
In June, the victim got a call from another woman, who identified herself as Anita Mistry and said she wanted to be his friend. On his birthday, Anita asked him to meet her in Dahisar and sent her address on WhatsApp. “The complainant said there were two other women in the flat, who Anita introduced as her paying guests. While the two women sat in the living room, Anita asked him to follow her to the bedroom and offered him a drink,” said the police officer. After 15 minutes, Solanki and Aotgire raided the flat and ‘busted’ a prostitution racket. This time, they sought Rs 15 lakh, but the victim bargained and brought it down to Rs 5 lakh. Again, he took them to his bank, withdrew cash and gave it to them.
A week later, an unidentified man reached the businessman’s residence and demanded he pay Rs 15 lakh else the two ‘cops’ would arrest him in the prostitution racket. The complainant panicked and paid up. After a few days, he realized that he had been duped and approached the Gamdevi police. Following a probe, the police tracked down Khan in Bhayander two weeks ago. His interrogation led them to Solanki and Aotgire. The police suspect the gang might have duped several men using this modus operandi.
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