SAHIWAL – Police have apprehended two members of a notorious “honey trap” gang accused of swindling a local commission agent out of more than Rs. 2.5 million near the outskirts of Chak 66 GD. The arrests come after a year-long delay, with the Bahadur Shah Police Station finally registering a case following high-level intervention.
The Deception: A Fake Marriage Proposal
The victim, identified as Zahoor Ali, was reportedly targeted by a fellow villager, Nadeem. According to investigations:
The Trap: Nadeem met Ali at a petrol pump in Adda Booti Pal, promising to help him find a suitable woman for marriage.
The Setup: Under the guise of a formal introduction, Nadeem took Ali to a residence to meet a girl and a man posing as her brother.
The Ambush: Once the girl took Ali into a private room and initiated provocative behavior, the accomplices—Nadeem, Muhammad Yar, and Asad Abbas (alias Nanhe Shah)—burst in. They filmed a compromising video of the victim and accused him of misconduct.
Extortion and Blackmail
The gang immediately leveraged the video to blackmail Ali, forcibly taking Rs. 100,000 from his pocket on the spot. They threatened to kidnap him for a massive ransom if he did not pay an additional Rs. 2.4 million.
Overwhelmed by fear, Ali paid the remaining amount in several installments, with the final payment made on April 29, 2025. Furthermore, the suspects allegedly forced him to sign partnership documents regarding his ancestral agricultural land at the local courts.
Police Action and Delays
The case highlights significant hurdles in the justice system. The Bahadur Shah Police Station initially refused to register the First Information Report (FIR). It was only after Ali appealed to the Inspector General of Punjab (IGP) that the ASP Sadar Circle was ordered to initiate legal proceedings.
Current Status of the Investigation:
FIR Filed: Against six suspects, including Nadeem, his wife Samina, Muhammad Yar, and Asad Abbas.
Arrests: Two suspects are currently in custody.
Ongoing Pursuit: Police raids are being conducted to apprehend the remaining four suspects, including the woman used in the trap.
Authorities have urged citizens to remain vigilant against such fraudulent schemes and to report blackmail attempts immediately to the police.