Police bust gang for trying to honey-trap affluent, extort money

The city police have busted an organised gang involved in blackmailing wealthy individuals by establishing contact through women, recording false accusations of sexual harassment and using media exposure threats to extort large sums of money. Police have arrested Varun Kapoor, a resident of Diamond Woollen Mill Street, Chheharta, Amritsar, on March 30 and Anil Singh alias Amarinder Singh, a resident of Street No. 6-A, Jujhar Singh Avenue, Ajnala Road, Amritsar, on March 31. Inspector Harpakash Singh, SHO of Maqboolpura police station, along with his team, successfully traced and arrested the accused. A case was registered based on a complaint from Jujhar Singh, a resident of Amritsar.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) Harpal Singh said, “During the investigation, it was revealed that Varun Kapoor and Anil Singh alias Amarinder Singh, along with four women, namely, Pooja, Kuldeep Kaur, Kulwinder Kaur and Monica, had formed a gang specialising in blackmail. The gang obtained mobile numbers of affluent individuals and had the women establish communication with them. After building a relationship, the women met these individuals while covering their faces, and the gang members secretly recorded videos, falsely accusing them of sexual harassment and assault. Subsequently, the gang contacted these individuals, threatening to release the videos to the media, thereby tarnishing their reputation and future. Under fear, the victims were forced to pay large sums of money to avoid public disgrace. The masterminds, Varun Kapoor and Anil Singh, have been arrested, while a search operation is underway to locate the four women involved in crime.”

A case has been registered under sections 308(2), 62, 351(2)(3), 61(2) and 111 of the BNS at Maqboolpura police station in Amritsar.