Mangaluru, July 31: In connection to a honey trap case in Belthangady, in an operation led by the Bantwal ASP Rahul Kumar, the DCIB police along with the Bantwal sub-divisional police, have arrested eight persons. The gang used a woman to kidnap, blackmail, threaten and extort money from two men.
Addressing a press meet here on Friday July 31st, District Superintendent of Police Dr SD Sharanappa said that in connection with the case, the police led by ASP Rahul Kumar have arrested prime accused Mohammed Asif alias Asif (25), Abdul Lathif alias Abdulla (36) both from Goliangady, Abdul Majeed (22) of Nelligudde, Sabir (25) of Maddadka, Hashim (25) of Kukkedi, Abubakker Siddique (21) of Kukkedi, Sulaiman (35) of Padangady, and Zarina (27) of Nekkilu. Other four were also involved in the case, will be arrested soon by the police, informed the SP.
The SP further narrated the incident that on July 27th, at around 5.30 pm, Asif, the prime accused had phoned Basheer on his cell phone while latter was returning from Loretto Padavu by auto rickshaw, and asked him to pick up a lady on the way and drop her at Ujire. Basheer agreed and picked a burkha-clad lady, now identified as Zarina and was taking her to Ujire in the auto rickshaw. Meanwhile two cars, a Scorpio and a Ritz followed the auto rickshaw and stopped it. Basheer and Harris, the auto driver, both were later forcibly taken to a isolated spot in one of the cars and assaulted. Then the gang made them to pose with the woman and clicked the photographs and demanded Rs 10 lakhs. The gang threatened to circulate the photos on WhatsApp and file a rape case if their demand was not met. Later Basheer and Harris were taken to a house in Nainad near Venur. The gang robbed the duo of Rs 4,500 cash, two cell phones, the auto rickshaw and Basheer’s passport.
Later Basheer lodged a complaint at Beltangady police station. A special investigation team was formed under the leadership of ASP Rahul Kumar and Beltangady Circle Inspector Lingappa Poojary and the police successfully nabbed the eight culprits. Police are on a lookout to arrest the other four, informed the SP.
The SP Sharanappa said, the arrested eight have no previous record of crime, and that the accused woman Zarina’s husband was not involved in the case. One among the accused, Abdul Lathif has posed as sub-inspector of crime, he said.
Concerned to the recent case in Beltangady in which a Dalit named Sundar Malekudiya’s fingers were cut off allegedly by his landlord, the SP said that the matter has been considered seriously and one person has already been arrested, and further investigations are underway.
ASP Rahul Kumar was present at the press meet.
