A honeytrap and extortion racket operating through a gay dating application has been busted by Surendranagar City A-Division Police, leading to the arrest of seven accused within hours of the complaint being registered. According to the police complaint, the victim, living with wife and two children, in Lakhtar taluka in Surendranagar district, was allegedly lured through a gay dating application called “Polo.”
The complainant stated that he came in contact with an unidentified man through the app and after several days of chatting, was called to meet near TB Hospital in Surendranagar.
As per the FIR, the victim was picked up on a motorcycle and taken to a room located behind the TB Hospital in Bapa Sitaram Nagar. While he was inside the room with the person he had met through the app, five other men allegedly entered the premises and forced him to remove his clothes.
The complainant alleged that the accused assaulted him with his own belt, abused him, and threatened to publicly circulate screenshots of his chats and nude photographs. They allegedly warned him that his reputation would be ruined and threatened to kill him if he informed anyone about the incident.
Fearing public humiliation, the victim arranged money from relatives and family members. Police said the accused allegedly extorted Rs 8,000 in cash and forced the complainant to transfer Rs 23,000 online to a bank account linked to accused Sahil Dilavarbhai Chauhan, taking a total of Rs 31,000.
The victim later disclosed the incident to his wife after remaining under stress for several weeks. Encouraged by his family, he approached police and lodged a complaint.
Based on technical analysis and surveillance inputs, police arrested seven accused, including, Sahil Dilavarbhai Chauhan (25), auto-rickshaw driver, Wadhwan, Shakti Manojbhai Bajipara (29), labourer, Surendranagar, Bhargav Pareshbhai Parmar (27), Samirbhai Rafiqbhai Kodia (27), Fardin Kamilbhai Shaikh (25), Samirbhai Abbasbhai Diwan (30), Ankit Bharatbhai Tyagi (24).
Police said several of the arrested individuals have previous criminal records involving prohibition, gambling, assault and other offences.
A case has been registered under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including charges related to extortion, wrongful confinement, criminal intimidation, assault and unlawful assembly.
Investigators believe the accused allegedly targeted victims through social networking and dating platforms, lured them to isolated locations, and then extorted money by threatening to expose their private conversations and personal lives.
Further investigation is underway to determine whether additional victims may have been targeted by the gang.