Wellness centre operator honey-trapped, five held for extortion

A gang of five was arrested for allegedly honey-trapping and extorting money from the owner of a wellness centre in Chevella.

Golconda police said that a woman from the gang used to secretly film the owner in compromising positions and then blackmail him to part with cheques worth ₹50 lakh, by threatening to leak the videos online.

The accused arrested have been identified as C. Amar, a real estate businessman from Sun City, Rajini Reddy, who runs a medical shop in Secunderabad, Kisara Manjula, also engaged in real estate in East Marredpally, Chellaboyina Rajesh, a cab driver from Chintal, and Dudekula Moulali, a cab driver from Shamshabad.

Golconda ACP Syed Fiaz said that the complainant, Mitta Venkata Rangareddy, 55, owner of ‘Secrets of Nature’ in Damaragidda village, Chevella, first came in touch with the accused in August.

“Amar and Manjula brought Rajini and another woman to his centre on the pretext of seeking treatment. During their stay, Rajini developed a relationship with the owner, by cooking his meals and later forcing him into sexual intimacy. These acts were secretly recorded on a spy camera,” the ACP added.

Over the following weeks, Rajini allegedly continued to pressure the complainant, while Amar and others plotted to use the recordings for financial gain. On September 4, Rajini met Rangareddy at a restaurant to discuss the private videos. “At this point, Amar, Manjula and their associates confronted him, threatened to release the material, seized his car keys, and demanded ₹50 lakh. The victim, fearing exposure, was forced to hand over two cheques of ₹25 lakh each,” police said.

Based on his complaint on September 13, a case of extortion, cheating and wrongful confinement, was filed. Acting swiftly, SHO Golconda P. Saidulu and a team raided Taramati Baradari resort at Ibrahim Bagh, and arrested all the five.

Police seized five mobile phones, two cheques, a spy camera with a memory card, and an SUV car from their possession. The accused were produced before court and remanded to judicial custody.