Assam Police have arrested five persons — including two women and the alleged female mastermind — for running a honey-trapping and extortion racket in Jorhat district, officials said on 7 October 2026. The gang reportedly used an Instagram friendship to lure a private-sector bank manager from Tinsukia before extorting ₹3 lakh from him under threat of circulating compromising footage.

How the Trap Was Set

According to the complaint filed at Jorhat Sadar Police Station, the victim befriended a woman from Jorhat on Instagram in July 2026, and their online interactions reportedly grew into a personal relationship. On 14 August, the woman allegedly asked him to travel to Jorhat. He reportedly arrived at around 1 a.m. and was taken to a rented house in Seoni Ali.

Two unidentified men then allegedly entered the premises. The woman reportedly opened the door for them, after which the intruders allegedly recorded compromising footage of the victim and threatened to circulate it on social media and share it with his family — a classic extortion playbook increasingly associated with organised honey-trap operations.

The Extortion Demands and What the Victim Paid

The gang initially demanded ₹2 lakh, which the victim allegedly paid out of fear. Subsequent demands of ₹1 lakh and ₹5 lakh followed. According to police, the victim paid a total of ₹3 lakh before approaching authorities. This pattern — an initial payment followed by escalating demands — is consistent with organised extortion rings that exploit victims' reluctance to expose themselves publicly.

Arrests: Five Accused Identified and Nabbed

Acting on the directions of the Senior Superintendent of Police, a special team led by Officer-in-Charge Hrishikesh Hazarika arrested two youths — Sanjib Das and Ankit Paul of Garmur — on 2 October 2026. Both were produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody in Case No. 338/2026.

Further investigation identified Moromi Das Neog as the alleged mastermind. A police team tracked her down in Dibrugarh based on specific intelligence inputs and arrested her. Police also arrested Baby Bora and her husband Ankit Bora, bringing the total number of accused in custody to five.

Wider Probe: Multiple Victims May Be Involved

Preliminary examination of mobile phones seized from the accused suggests the gang may have targeted several financially well-off individuals — including businessmen and government and private-sector employees — using a similar modus operandi, according to Hrishikesh Hazarika. Police described it as a clear case of honey-trapping and said digital evidence is being examined to identify other possible victims.

This comes amid a broader national concern over cyber-enabled extortion rackets exploiting social media platforms. Such operations have been flagged repeatedly by police agencies across states, with Instagram and other apps serving as initial contact points. The Jorhat case is the latest in a pattern of organised honey-trap networks targeting professional and salaried individuals in smaller Indian cities.

Investigation Status

The investigation is continuing, with police expected to examine digital evidence — including call records and messaging logs — to establish the full scale of the operation and the number of victims. Authorities have not ruled out further arrests.