Kathmandu, October 24

Police have arrested two members, including a woman, of a ‘honeytrap’ gang which was involved in blackmailing a businessman for money.

According to Metropolitan Police Crime Division, the suspects are Badrinath Lamichhane, 31, of Gorkha and Indira Upreti, 25, of Panchthar. They were arrested from Gaushala yesterday.

SSP Dhiraj Pratap Singh said the duo was trying to extort Rs 10 million from a Lalitpur-based businessman.

Upreti created a fake Facebook ID in the name of Nisha Adhikari and sent friend request to the businessman on the social networking site. As he accepted her friend request, they started chatting on messenger and she asked him for his mobile phone number. Upreti went to meet the businessman at his office in Kupandole on June 15 and took a secret video of them groping and kissing.

The next day, Lamichhane telephoned the businessman identifying himself as ‘Ganesh Lama’ and demanded Rs 10 million, threatening to upload the secret video on Youtube and other social networking sites. The businessman filed a complaint at MPCD after Lamichhane continued to threaten him.

The duo have been sent to Metropolitan Police Range, Kathmandu, for action under extortion charge.  Lamichhane used to identify moneyed men and businesspersons before operating Upreti to trap the victims. Police said further investigation was launched to establish their involvement in other cases of similar kind.