Three men impersonating police officials apprehended in honey trap extortion case

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police’s Crime Branch has dismantled a honey trap racket wherein perpetrators impersonated police officials to extort money from unsuspecting victims.

The accused were identified as Neeraj Tyagi alias Dheeraj alias Dheeru (42), a resident of Tilak Nagar, Delhi, Ashish Mathur (31), a resident of VPO Karala, Delhi and Deepak alias Sajan (30), a resident of Kharkhoda, Haryana.

According to the police, the operation, conducted on December 24, was led by Inspector Sandeep Tushir and his team under the supervision of ACP Narender Singh.

Acting on a tip-off, officers intercepted a Hyundai i20 car near Budh Vihar Nala on Main Kanjhawala Road.

The suspects inside the vehicle were dressed as Delhi Police personnel, carrying a Head Constable’s uniform and fake identity cards. Suspicious of their claims, the team apprehended them after a brief attempt to escape.

During interrogation, the accused confessed their involvement in extortion cases, including a notorious honey trap operation targeting a 60-year-old doctor in August 2024.

The doctor, lured to an address under the pretext of treating a sick individual, was ambushed by four men, two of whom were dressed as police officers.

Threatened with legal action, he was coerced into paying Rs 9 lakh. The case, registered at Bindapur Police Station, had seen four arrests earlier, but Tyagi and Deepak had evaded capture until now.

The raid resulted in the recovery of three fake police ID cards, a complete police uniform, an i20 car, and three mobile phones.

The accused have extensive criminal records. Tyagi, a resident of Tilak Nagar, began extortion activities in 2015.

Mathur, a school dropout from Karala, Delhi, joined the honey trap syndicate in 2016. Deepak, hailing from Sonipat, Haryana, was previously involved in a Rs 65 lakh dacoity in 2015.