Hyderabad Honey-Trap Case | Hyderabad, Oct 19 (Maxim News): Saidabad Police have arrested a 23-year-old man accused of operating fake social media profiles using women’s identities to lure victims into sexual conversations, obtain their private photographs and videos, and allegedly extort money by threatening to expose the material.
The accused, identified as Kondabhattula Pavan Kumar, a resident of Kukatpally in Hyderabad and a native of Bhadradri Kothagudem district, was arrested in connection with Crime No. 358/2026 registered at Saidabad Police Station.
The case has been booked under Sections 308(7) and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 66C, 66D, 66E and 67A of the Information Technology Act.
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Speaking to scribes DCP Kiran, said that the accused allegedly created multiple fake Facebook and Instagram accounts using photographs and identities of women.
He reportedly sent friend and follow requests to potential victims, initiated conversations while posing as a woman and gradually steered chats towards sexual topics. He allegedly exchanged nude photographs with victims and persuaded them to send their own private images and videos.
Police said the accused stored the material on multiple mobile phones and social media accounts. He allegedly later contacted victims while posing as the woman’s brother and threatened to expose their photographs or videos, or have them implicated in a police complaint, unless they paid money.
Investigators said the accused primarily used photographs of a woman from Kolkata under the name “Chandana”. Police stated that efforts had been made to alert the woman through her workplace and the local police station in Kolkata.
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According to the police release, a friend of the accused from his diploma course was allegedly trapped using the same method, with ₹4 lakh extorted from him. The accused is also suspected of cheating a software employee of approximately ₹7 lakh by promising returns on an investment.
Police further alleged that two unidentified individuals were separately extorted of ₹6.8 lakh and ₹7 lakh. Additional cases may be registered as the investigation progresses.
The police release put the total amount allegedly extorted at ₹18 lakh and the amount allegedly obtained through cheating at ₹7.16 lakh, taking the combined figure to ₹25.16 lakh.
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Investigators said the accused had allegedly interacted with more than 1,000 people online, while 82 victims were reported to have sent nude photographs or videos. Police also cited 24 victims from other Indian states, including Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Punjab, and nine victims in other countries, including Dubai, Turkey, Pakistan and Canada.
The alleged victims reportedly included doctors, businesspeople, lecturers, private-sector employees, delivery workers and gig-economy workers.
Police identified 13 Instagram accounts and 14 Facebook accounts allegedly used by the accused, along with two WhatsApp accounts and three mobile numbers. The seized items include three mobile phones — Redmi, Vivo Y29 and Samsung Galaxy models — an HP laptop and a 16 GB pen drive.
The investigation also found that the accused had discontinued a diploma course at the Central Institute of Tool Design (CITD), Balanagar, police said. He had reportedly worked at a digital technology company in Basheerbagh and at a chit fund firm in Nanakramguda.
The case is being investigated under the supervision of Charminar Zone Deputy Commissioner of Police Khare Kiran Prabhakar, Additional DCP Md. Majeed and Saidabad Assistant Commissioner of Police Soma Venkat Reddy. Saidabad Station House Officer B. Chandra Mohan is the investigating officer.
Police said further investigation is underway and additional cases may be registered. The allegations remain subject to the investigation and legal proceedings. (Maxim News).
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