The Allahabad High Court has issued a series of directives to the Uttar Pradesh police to dismantle organized gangs that allegedly use women to “honeytrap” and extort money from individuals. Describing such activities as a “very pernicious state of affairs,” the court emphasized that the prevalence of such crimes makes it difficult to live in a “decent world.” The bench refused to quash a criminal case against the accused and instead suo motu ordered a zone-wide investigation into such rackets.
The matter reached the High Court through a writ petition filed by an individual named Fojiya and others from the Bijnor district. The petitioners sought the quashing of an FIR registered against them related to an extortion case.
According to the prosecution’s case, the complainant alleged that he was lured to a hotel in Bijnor, where he was filmed during a sexual encounter with a woman. Subsequently, the accused allegedly used the video to blackmail him, demanding a sum between ₹8 lakh and ₹10 lakh to “settle” the matter and prevent the footage from being made public. Following the complaint, the local police registered an FIR and commenced an investigation.
A division bench comprising Justice J.J. Munir and Justice Tarun Saxena, in its order dated March 30, expressed grave concern over the nature of the allegations. While the petitioners ultimately sought to withdraw their plea, the court noted that the gravity of the issue necessitated judicial intervention beyond the scope of the specific petition.
The bench observed:
“This is a very serious matter, it requires thorough investigation to be undertaken by the Inspector General of Police of the Meerut Zone.”
The court further remarked on the societal impact of such organized extortion:
“If offences like these are permitted to continue, it would become difficult to live in a decent world.”
The Justices characterized the rise of these honeytrap gangs as a “very pernicious state of affairs,” signaling that these were not isolated incidents but reflected a broader, more dangerous trend of organized crime.
Refusing to entertain the plea for quashing the case, the court issued the following directions:
- Zone-Wide Vigilance: The Inspector General (IG) of the Meerut Zone was directed to alert all district police chiefs under his jurisdiction to maintain strict vigilance against such gangs.
- Thorough Investigation: The court ordered a comprehensive probe into the operational methods and networks of these extortionists.
- High-Level Communication: The court directed that a copy of its order be communicated to the Director General of Police (DGP) of Uttar Pradesh, the IG of Meerut Zone, and the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) for necessary and immediate action.
The court’s intervention highlights a push for systemic police action against digital and physical entrapment schemes used for financial exploitation.
