Met her on a dating app, lost Rs 2 lakh: Bengaluru man falls for elaborate fake drug raid conspiracy

Bengaluru: What began as a routine coffee date for a young tech professional from Bengaluru turned into a terrifying ordeal, ending in extortion and the loss of Rs 2 lakh. The 28-year-old, who had matched with a woman on a dating app, was lured into what police have now revealed to be a meticulously planned honeytrap involving fake narcotics and blackmail.

After several weeks of exchanging messages and video calls, the two agreed to meet in person. Their initial meetup at a coffee shop appeared uneventful, but soon after, the woman suggested they move to a private room to continue their conversation over drinks.

Once inside, the situation escalated in a matter of minutes. Four men stormed into the room, accusing the techie of being part of a drug party. They threatened to call the police and demanded to search the premises. One of them pulled out small sachets of white powder from the woman’s bag, claiming it was narcotics.

As panic set in, the woman suddenly began sobbing uncontrollably and locked herself in an adjoining room. She claimed she was going to end her life, unable to deal with the alleged consequences. The techie, unaware that the entire act was a setup, began pleading with the men to let him go.

The gang initially demanded Rs 15 lakh, but ultimately settled for Rs 2 lakh, which the frightened victim transferred via online payment.

It was only after the traumatised techie approached police three days later that the full extent of the deception came to light. Investigators discovered that the entire sequence of events, from the dating app match to the supposed drug bust, was a coordinated scam. The seized powder was later identified as harmless baking soda.

Six individuals have been arrested in connection with the case. They include the woman, identified as Sangeetha, and five men: Sharanabasappa, Raju Mane, Shyam Sundar, Abhishek and Birbal.

Speaking to NDTV, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North East Division) Sajeeth V J said that one of the accused already has a previous case for a similar offence in Bengaluru. He added that the woman's background is being verified, revealing she hails from Uttar Pradesh and had worked in a dance bar prior to the incident. The police are continuing their investigation to determine how many more victims may have been targeted, as the gang has confessed to committing the crime before. Authorities are now working to identify and contact other possible victims.

Authorities believe the group may have carried out similar operations in the past and have launched efforts to trace additional victims. Police are appealing to anyone who might have encountered similar experiences to come forward and report them.