The Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has arrested five alleged members of a honey-trapping and blackmailing gang, including its suspected ringleader, in the capital’s Turag area.
The gang allegedly used fake social media identities to lure wealthy middle-aged and elderly men into romantic relationships before inviting them to designated apartments or hotel rooms, where they were held hostage and blackmailed with compromising photos and videos to extort money.
DB chief Shafiqul Islam disclosed the information at a press briefing on Sunday afternoon.
The arrestees are Jit Bhakta alias Abdur Rahman, 38; Pritam Biswas alias Anik Sheikh, 30; Arthajit Bhakta alias Siddhartha, 20; Sabrin Kabir Prema alias Neha, 22; and Sadia Yasmin alias Mahi, 21. The group comprises three men and two women.
According to the DB’s Wari Division, Jit Bhakta, also known as Abdur Rahman, is the alleged ringleader.
The gang’s female members allegedly developed romantic relationships with wealthy men, including businessmen, through fake social media profiles before luring them to designated apartments or hotel rooms.
There, the male members allegedly held the victims hostage, threatened them and subjected them to physical abuse. They also recorded compromising photos and videos and threatened to release the footage unless the victims paid money.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the gang continued to extort money even after receiving initial payments, repeatedly threatening to expose the footage, police said.
To evade law enforcement, the suspects allegedly changed their residences and hideouts frequently and used SIM cards registered under false identities and fake social media accounts.
Acting on intelligence and using technological assistance, a DB team from the Wari Division tracked down the suspects and raided a residential building in Turag, arresting all five.
Police recovered five mobile phones, three blank cheques and a torture belt from their possession.
A case has been filed against the accused, and further legal proceedings are underway.
The DMP urged residents to exercise caution when using social media and to promptly inform police if they fall victim to fraud or blackmail. It also said surveillance and operations against such crimes would continue.