Assam: 5 including female mastermind arrested in Jorhat honey-trapping, extortion case

Jorhat Police have arrested five people, including two women, for their alleged involvement in a honey-trapping and blackmail racket operating in the district, following a complaint filed by a private-sector bank manager from Tinsukia.

According to Hrishikesh Hazarika, Officer-in-Charge of Jorhat Sadar Police Station, the case came to light on October 2 after the bank manager approached the police and lodged an FIR.

Police said the complainant had met a woman from Jorhat through Instagram in July, following which the two developed a relationship through social media. On August 14, the woman allegedly called the bank manager to Jorhat.

The complainant reportedly arrived in Jorhat around 1 am and met the woman, who allegedly took him to a rented residence in the Seoni Ali area.

According to the complaint, while the two were inside the residence, two unidentified men allegedly knocked on the door. The woman allegedly opened it, following which the men recorded the incident and threatened the bank manager with circulating the video on social media and sharing it with his family members.

The suspects allegedly demanded Rs 2 lakh from the bank manager. Fearing that the video would be made public, he allegedly paid the amount. The group subsequently demanded another Rs 1 lakh, which was also allegedly paid.

Police said the complainant had paid a total of Rs 3 lakh to the alleged gang. The suspects later allegedly demanded an additional Rs 5 lakh.

Following repeated threats and demands, the bank manager approached Jorhat Police and informed senior officers about the incident.

Hazarika said that following directions from the Jorhat Senior Superintendent of Police, a police team was constituted under his leadership. On October 2, police arrested two youths from Jorhat in connection with the case.

The arrested persons were identified as Sanjib Das and Ankit Paul, both residents of Garmur under Jorhat Sadar Police Station. They were produced before a court and subsequently sent to judicial custody.

A case has been registered at Jorhat Police Station as Case No. 338/2026.

During the investigation, police identified Moromi Das Neog as the alleged mastermind of the racket. A police team was sent to Dibrugarh to trace her. Police initially failed to locate her but later arrested her based on a specific lead.

Police also arrested another woman, Baby Bora, and her husband, Ankit Bora.

With these arrests, five alleged members of the racket have been apprehended, including three men and two women.

According to Hazarika, preliminary examination of mobile phones seized from the accused has indicated that the group may have targeted several other people using a similar modus operandi.

Police suspect that the alleged gang targeted financially well-off individuals, including businessmen and people employed in government and private-sector organisations.

“This is a pure case of honey-trapping,” Hazarika said.

Police are examining the digital evidence recovered from the accused and attempting to identify other potential victims. Further investigation is underway.