False rape, caste cases: UP police cracks honeytrap case with 12 arrests
Five more people, including four women and a man, have been arrested in connection with a honeytrap case in Uttar Pradesh’s Bijnor, taking the total number of arrests to 12. Police have alleged that the group operated an organised network that targeted people involved in disputes and used women to threaten them with serious criminal cases unless they paid money.
Investigators have also recovered 13 forged Aadhaar cards from the four women arrested in the latest operation.
The case came to light during an investigation into an alleged network allegedly led by Zulfekar alias Babbu Langda. According to police, the group identified people who were involved in disputes, rivalries or other conflicts and gathered information about them. The alleged targets were then pressured using threats of criminal complaints involving serious offences.
Investigators allege that women associated with the group played a key role in the operation. They were allegedly used to make accusations against selected targets and threaten them with cases involving charges such as rape, gang rape, offences under the POCSO Act and provisions of the SC/ST Act.
Police claim that the objective was to force the targeted individuals into paying money to settle the matter.
According to the police investigation, the alleged operation involved considerable planning. Investigators said narratives were prepared in advance for particular targets, after which the women were allegedly taken to specific locations and instructed to recreate the sequence of events described in those accounts.
Once the alleged incidents had been staged, complaints were either made to the police or proceedings were initiated through courts.
Police said some of these cases were pursued through applications under Section 156(3) of the CrPC, through which a magistrate can direct police to register and investigate a cognisable offence. Investigators claim that this mechanism was allegedly used to initiate proceedings against selected individuals.
The investigation subsequently led police to earlier alleged incidents linked to the group. In one case, police alleged that women were taken to Amroha, where an incident was staged before a rape case was initiated through the court against Nawab, Asim and Omendra.
Police claimed Shahana was promised Rs 50,000 for her alleged role and was also provided with a mobile phone, clothes and cash.
Investigators also linked the network to an alleged 2023 operation involving Karim alias Munna, Taslim, Salim and Shibbu. Police claimed Antima was promised Rs 10,000 for participating in the plan.
According to investigators, the women were taken to a canal near the Nagal police station area, where an alleged incident was fabricated and subsequently reported, followed by court proceedings seeking registration of a case.
The latest arrests followed further investigation and questioning of suspects already in custody. Police had earlier arrested seven people — Zulfekar alias Babbu Langda, Afzal, Guddi, Kunti, Preeti, Mohammad Asif and Dilshad — and sent them to jail. The subsequent identification of Hifjan, Shayma, Antima, Shahana Parveen and Sania took the total number of accused arrested to 12.
The recovery of 13 forged Aadhaar cards from the four women arrested in the latest action has led police to add provisions under Sections 338, 336(3) and 340(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita in four cases.
Investigators are now examining the alleged network’s wider links and checking whether other people or earlier cases are connected to it.
The allegation made by Shayma remains her defence as an accused, and the case is still subject to investigation and judicial proceedings. Police are expected to verify the evidence recovered during the probe, establish the alleged network’s wider connections and determine whether additional suspects or cases are linked to the operation.- EndsPublished By: Vivek Published On: Sep 19, 2026 23:07 IST
