Elderly Man Allegedly Duped in Honeytrap, ₹24 Lakh Extorted; One Arrested

The Ahmedabad City Police’s Local Crime Branch (LCB) of Zone-7 has arrested a 39-year-old man in connection with an alleged honeytrap and extortion case in which an elderly man was reportedly forced to pay ₹24 lakh over several instalments after being threatened with false criminal cases.

The accused, identified as Alpesh Keshavbhai Solanki, was allegedly caught carrying ₹1 lakh in cash that had been collected from the victim. Police are now searching for two other alleged members of the gang.

Police Launch Operation After ₹1 Lakh Extortion Attempt

The case came to light late on October 5 when Anandnagar police received a control message about an alleged blackmail attempt involving an elderly man and his son.

According to police, the gang had collected ₹1 lakh from the family in a black bag. One of the suspects, wearing black trousers and a white checked shirt, reportedly fled from Pakwan Crossroads.

Following the alert, DCP Zone-7 Shivam Verma directed officials to launch an immediate operation. Police teams increased patrolling and vehicle checks along the SG Highway while searching for the suspects.

Acting on specific information, officers located a man matching the description near Karnavati Bridge. He was allegedly found hiding under the bridge with a black bag containing ₹1 lakh.

₹1 Lakh Cash, Mobile Phone Seized

Police detained the suspect and seized two bundles of ₹500 notes totalling ₹1 lakh, along with a black Dell bag and a Vivo mobile phone.

The total value of the seized items was estimated at ₹1.05 lakh.

During questioning, police alleged that Solanki and his associates had befriended the complainant through Facebook before trapping him in a honeytrap.

The gang allegedly threatened the elderly man with being implicated in a false criminal case and intimidated him while posing as police officers.

Gang Allegedly Collected ₹24 Lakh From Victim

According to investigators, the accused had allegedly collected ₹24 lakh from the victim in instalments by threatening him.

The gang allegedly demanded another ₹7 lakh during the latest extortion attempt. By then, the victim had reportedly become suspicious and approached the police.

Investigators subsequently laid a trap, leading to Solanki’s arrest while he allegedly arrived to collect ₹1 lakh.

Two Suspects Yet To Be Arrested

Police are searching for two other alleged members of the gang:

• Kishan alias Kano Ghanshyambhai Parmar, a resident of Morarinagar-1 on Turkha Road in Botad
• Lalo, a resident of Panadara village in Kadi taluka of Mehsana district

The LCB said further arrests could follow as the investigation progresses.

Police Warn Against Unknown Social Media Contacts

The LCB has urged people to remain cautious while accepting friend requests from unknown individuals on social media.

Police have also advised citizens to verify the identity of people they meet through social media and avoid meeting strangers without proper verification. Anyone facing blackmail or ransom demands has been asked to immediately approach the nearest police station.