Assam: Jorhat Police Bust Honey-Trapping Racket; 5 Arrested Including 2 women
Police allege that a bank manager was lured through social media, secretly recorded during a private encounter and subsequently threatened with circulation of the video unless he paid money.
JORHAT- Jorhat Police have dismantled an alleged honey-trapping and extortion racket operating in the district, arresting five people—three men and two women—in connection with the blackmailing of a private bank manager from Tinsukia. The arrested accused have been identified as Marami Das Neog (alleged mastermind, also known as Nimisha in some reports), Ankit Paul, Sanjib Das, Ankit Bora, and Baby Bora. Paul and Das are residents of Garmur Itakhuli (or Garmur area) under Jorhat Sadar Police Station.
The case came to light after the bank manager approached Jorhat Sadar Police Station on October 2 and lodged a complaint. According to police, the complainant had befriended a woman from Jorhat on Instagram in July. Their interaction developed into a close personal relationship through social media.
The woman later invited him to Jorhat. He arrived around 1 am (on or around August 14) and met her, after which she took him to a rented accommodation near Ajanta Bypass and ISBT in Jorhat.
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Police said two men were present at the location and allegedly secretly recorded the private encounter between the man and the woman on mobile phones. The group then threatened to circulate the video on social media and send it to his family members, demanding money. The victim allegedly paid Rs 2 lakh, followed by another Rs 1 lakh (totalling around Rs 3 lakh). When the accused later demanded an additional Rs 5 lakh, he approached the police.
Following directions from the Jorhat Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), a team led by Jorhat Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Hrishikesh Hazarika investigated the matter. Sanjib Das and Ankit Paul were arrested from Jorhat on October 2; they were produced before a court and sent to judicial custody. As the probe progressed, police identified Marami Das Neog as a key person behind the racket.
A team was sent to Dibrugarh to trace her. After initial difficulty locating her, police acted on specific information and arrested her on Wednesday (October 7), along with Baby Bora and her husband Ankit Bora.
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Mobile phones seized from the accused reportedly contained multiple QR codes linked to digital money transfers and objectionable materials, raising suspicion that more people may have been targeted.
Police suspect the group used a similar modus operandi against other affluent individuals, including businessmen and employees in government and private organisations. Investigators are also examining information about a possible ONGC employee who may have been targeted.
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Jorhat Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Hrishikesh Hazarika described the matter as a “pure case of honey-trapping.” A police officer stated: “We believe a huge network has been uprooted. We have also found multiple objectionable materials.” Police added that after recording the events, the two male accused allegedly demanded money from the victim.
Further investigation is underway to identify other possible victims, examine the seized devices and financial transactions, and establish the complete network.
The arrests mark a significant breakthrough against an alleged organised racket that allegedly lured targets via social media, recorded intimate moments, and used the material for blackmail and extortion. The case has been registered at Jorhat Police Station, and the investigation continues.
