Blackmail after sex: Allahabad High Court orders police to crack down on honeytrap gangs

The Allahabad High Court recently directed Uttar Pradesh Police to act against the gangs allegedly using women to honeytrap men to extort money from them [Fojiya and others v State of UP and Others]

A Division Bench of Justice JJ Munir and Justice Tarun Saxena said such matters disclose a very pernicious state of affairs in the society.

"This is a very serious matter," the Court said while refusing to entertain a plea seeking quashing of an extortion case against five people, including some policemen, accused of honeytrap by a man.

The Court said the case requires a thorough investigation by the Inspector General of Police of the Meerut Zone. It added that the police chiefs in districts must be alerted to remain aware about such gangs operating in their areas.

"He shall alert the entire district police chiefs in the zone to maintain strict vigil, if a gang of this kind is operating, or other gangs are also operating, blackmailing innocent people by utilising women for springing a honey trap, or in some other way, bringing about the same results. If offences like these are permitted to continue, it would become difficult to live in a decent world," the Court said.

In the case registered by Bijnor police, the complainant alleged that after he had sex with a woman at a hotel in Bijnor, he was blackmailed by the accused. Some video clips had been recorded by the woman, as per the police case.

He said the accused demanded between ₹8-10 lakh to settle the matter.

However, the complainant reported the matter to the police, leading to registration of a First Information Report (FIR).

The accused then approached the Court seeking quashing of the FIR. However, the Court termed the case serious and refused to entertain the plea. The counsel for petitioners then withdrew the plea.

"This petition is dismissed as withdrawn, but not without the directions that we have made above," the Court said in the order.

It directed that the order be communicated to the Director General of Police, the Inspector General of Police of Meerut Zone and the Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Government of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow.

Advocate Shashank Dwivedi appeared for the petitioners.

Additional Government Advocate Shashi Shekhar Tiwari appeared for the State.

[Read Order]