BENGALURU — A gang of six, including a woman, has been arrested by Yelahanka police for allegedly extorting ₹2 lakh from a tech professional by falsely accusing him of drug possession. The gang used a dating app to lure the victim and framed him with what turned out to be baking soda, not the claimed drug MDMA.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Sangeeta Sahni (36) of JP Nagar, Sharanabasappa Baliger (50), Raju Maane (34), Shyam Sundar (20), Abhishek (19), and Beerbal Majjagi (21).
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northeast) Sajeeth VJ, the victim, Rakesh Reddy, an employee at a private firm, lodged a complaint stating that he met Sangeeta on the dating app Bumble on July 17. The two agreed to meet at a mall near the Yelahanka police station before heading to a rented house in Ramagondanahalli, where they consumed alcohol.
During the meetup, four men suddenly entered the house and accused the pair of drug use. They pulled out a packet of white powder from Sangeeta’s bag, claiming it was MDMA. Threatening Rakesh with arrest for drug possession and peddling, the gang forced him to transfer ₹2 lakh online to avoid police action.
Police traced the payment using bank account details, call detail records (CDR), and CCTV footage, leading to the gang’s arrest. Investigations confirmed it was a pre-planned trap, with the white powder later confirmed to be baking soda, not any illegal substance.
Police also discovered that the key accused, Sharanabasappa, had previously been arrested in a similar honeytrap case registered in Puttenahalli in 2023. After being released from prison, he reportedly regrouped with the others — all of whom worked as painters or plumbers — to carry out more scams. Sangeeta, a native of Uttar Pradesh, had previously worked in a dance bar, and the house used for the trap was specifically rented for such setups.
While Sharanabasappa, Raju, and Shyam are in police custody, Sangeeta and the other two have been sent to judicial custody. A senior police official stated that the gang is suspected of targeting multiple victims, though most have not come forward to file complaints. Police are now reaching out to these individuals to record their statements.
