Mumbai Horror: Youth Trapped Through Telegram Gay Group, Assaulted, Blackmailed and Robbed
Mumbai Horror: Youth Trapped Through Telegram Gay Group, Assaulted, Blackmailed and Robbed
Case exposes dark side of digital honey traps and identity fraud in Mumbai’s Shankarwadi area
In a chilling case of online exploitation, a young man from Jogeshwari East’s Shankarwadi area was lured, sexually assaulted, and blackmailed by four individuals after being added to a Telegram group of LGBTQ+ members. The incident has sparked fresh concerns over the increasing misuse of social media platforms for identity fraud and honey traps.
The victim first came in contact with one of the accused through Telegram. After gaining his trust, this person added the youth to a group comprising gay individuals. Their interactions intensified over time, leading to the victim being invited to a room in Shankarwadi under the pretext of a personal meeting.
Once there, four young men from the group forced themselves on him and recorded the sexual assault. They then threatened to make the video viral if he resisted. The victim was beaten, blackmailed, and further humiliated as they forcibly took his ATM card and PIN. A total of ₹41,000 was withdrawn from his bank account.
A case has been registered at Jogeshwari Police Station under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) – including 309(6), 127(2), 115, 351(3), 352, and 3(5) – along with Section 66(E) of the IT Act.
Police began investigating using CCTV footage from the scene and nearby ATMs. With the help of informants, all four accused were successfully identified and arrested from flats in Jogeshwari and Bandra.
Authorities have reiterated the need for caution while interacting with unknown individuals on social media and messaging platforms like Telegram, which are increasingly being used as tools for cybercrime and personal exploitation.
Further investigation is underway.
