Five held for bid to ensnare Ernakulam shop owner in honey trap

KOCHI:  Kothamangalam police have arrested five youths for allegedly ensnaring a shop owner in honey trap. The key accuse, including a woman, had been arrested on Wednesday while the remaining three accused were nabbed on Thursday.

 While Injathotti native Arya, 26, and her friend Ashwin, 19,  of Kuttilanji  had been nabbed on Wednesday, Yasin, 22, of Nelikuzhi, Asif, 19, of Kuttilanji and Nelikuzhi native Riswan, 21, were arrested on Thursday.

The gang planned to ensnare the owner of the shop in Muvattupuzha where Arya was employed. “It was a DTP centre and Arya had lost her job during the lockdown. However, the accused hatched a plot to blackmail and get money from the owner of the firm.

Arya invited the victim to a lodge in Kothamangalam on Tuesday night for a party organised after she got a new job in Angamaly. When the victim reached the room, he was stripped and his photographs taken with Arya. They demanded `4 lakh from him and threatened to circulate the images on social media if the money was not paid,” an officer said.

When the victim said he didn’t have enough money, they seated him in his car. The three other accused  joined Arya and her friend in the car. They snatched the debit card of the victim and withdrew `35,000. When the car reached near Kottapadi, the victim managed to escape and he alerted the local residents.