Blackmailers target men on LGBTQ+ dating app, film intimate act to demand Rs 1.4 lakh

Ghaziabad police have arrested three people for allegedly using a gay dating app to trap individuals, record their private moments, and blackmail them for money. The accused have been identified as Rinku, Ajay, and Shubham, while two more suspects are still on the run.

According to the police, the case came to light after a man filed a complaint stating that he had connected with someone on Grindr, a gay dating app. After chatting for some time, he was invited to a flat to meet in person. During their meeting, when they started getting intimate, a few other people present in the flat secretly recorded them. The victim was then threatened with the video and forced to transfer Rs 1.40 lakh to a bank account. After the incident, he approached the police and lodged a complaint.

Assistant Police Commissioner Swatantra Kumar Singh stated that the police immediately started tracking the suspects. "We received a tip-off that the accused would be near NDRF Road today. A police team set up a checkpost and arrested them. Rinku is the mastermind of this gang, and the other arrested accused are Shubham and Ajay. Ajay was the one who lured the victim to the flat. The other two suspects will also be arrested soon," he said.

During the investigation, the police recovered three identity cards from Rinku that described him as a lawyer. Authorities are now verifying whether these documents are real or fake. The police also seized three mobile phones and Rs 10,000 in cash from the accused.

The officer further revealed that this might not be the first case involving the gang. "The flat owner informed us that the accused had moved in on January 2. The suspects have admitted to blackmailing others in the past as well. We are investigating further to identify more victims," he said.

Amid the rising number of blackmail cases through online dating platforms, the police urged the public to remain cautious. "Many criminals use fake identities online to trap people. If you meet someone on a dating app or social media, always be careful before trusting them," the officer warned.

The police investigation is ongoing, and efforts are being made to arrest the remaining two suspects.