Woman arrested in Kanpur for honey-trapping govt officials, extorting money

A woman was arrested here on Tuesday for allegedly honey-trapping government officials and extorting money after marrying them, police said.

Divyanshi (38) was arrested after her husband, Aditya Lovach, a Sub-Inspector posted in Gwaltoli police station here, filed a complaint accusing her of harassment, cheating and extortion, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Shravan Singh said.

Divyanshi's modus operandi included trapping men by forming relationships with government officials, marrying some of them, and later filing false rape or harassment cases to extort money, the officer said.

She is believed to have married four men -- two bank managers and two policemen -- and exploited over a dozen others, a senior officer said.

An examination of her bank accounts revealed transactions of over Rs 8 crore to more than 10 different accounts, some of which were linked to serving police officers posted in the Meerut range, hinting at a deeper network, the police said.

The investigation suggested that a few personnel are suspected of helping her or pressing victims into settlements.

Lovach married Divyanshi on February 17, 2024, through an arranged match. Soon after, he became suspicious when she repeatedly deleted UPI apps from her phone and frequently demanded money while he was on duty.

Lovach told police he attempted suicide twice due to pressure and threats from Divyanshi and her associates.

Earlier, Divyanshi had created a ruckus at the Police Commissionerate, accusing her husband of harassment, infidelity and misappropriating Rs 14.5 lakh.

Her counter-complaint triggered a parallel inquiry. However, digital evidence and past records indicated a pattern, the police said.

She had earlier filed three rape cases against government employees, all ending in compromise, and several other FIRs that were later marked false, they said.

The police are now tracking the money trail and examining the role of officers who may have supported or benefited from the racket.

"The evidence indicates an organised network. More arrests are expected as financial and digital data is verified," the DCP told reporters.