Bareilly: A woman has been arrested for allegedly trapping a power corporation contractor in a honeytrap and extorting ₹15 lakh from him by threatening to file a rape case. Police said she first developed an emotional relationship and extracted ₹5 lakh, later took ₹10 lakh by filing a rape complaint on the pretext of marriage, and subsequently demanded another ₹12 lakh. The racket came to light after the contractor approached the police.
According to officials, the contractor, a resident of Premnagar, was looking after a relative’s house which had been rented to the accused woman about a year ago. During their acquaintance, she claimed she was going through a divorce and raising two children alone, gaining his sympathy. Police said she gradually lured him into a relationship and later began using it to blackmail him.
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The complainant alleged that the woman repeatedly threatened to inform his wife and used emotional pressure to extort ₹5 lakh over time. She also forced him to spend on expensive shopping and outings. When he tried to distance himself, she filed a police complaint on February 1 accusing him of rape on the promise of marriage and took ₹10 lakh as part of a “settlement.”
Four days after receiving the money, she allegedly demanded another ₹12 lakh and threatened to escalate the complaint to senior police officials. She also sent messages to the contractor’s wife to increase pressure. Distressed, the contractor submitted a written complaint at the SSP’s office detailing the entire sequence of events.
The inquiry was assigned to Circle Officer Ashutosh Shivam. The investigation found that the woman had been blackmailing the contractor for nearly a year and had collected money both in cash and through online transfers. Police said digital transaction records supported the extortion charges.
Investigators also found that the woman was not acting alone but was part of an organised group. Three alleged associates — Udit Pandey, Guddu Banjara and Avdhesh Yadav — have been named in the FIR. Police are conducting searches to trace and arrest them.
Officials said the woman had previously filed similar complaints against other individuals, indicating a pattern of using false allegations for extortion. Based on the findings, an FIR was registered at Premnagar police station and the woman was taken into custody.
Police said filing false charges to extort money is a serious offence and warned that strict action would be taken in such cases. They also advised the public to report any instance of blackmail or honeytrapping immediately and not to pay money under pressure.
Further investigation is underway to determine whether other victims were targeted by the group using the same modus operandi.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
