THANE: A 53-year-old retired Army major, now working as a doctor in Rajasthan’s Bhilwara, has accused a woman from Maharashtra’s Thane of allegedly honey-trapping him and extorting Rs 20 lakh by threatening to implicate him in false criminal cases. Police have registered a case and launched an investigation, officials said on Thursday.According to the complaint, the accused, a resident of Balkum Pada in Thane, allegedly blackmailed the victim over a period of two years, from April 2024 to May 2026.She allegedly orchestrated a “honey-trap” by collecting selected photographs, videos, and phone recordings of the victim and threatened to “frame him” in a false case if her financial demands were not met, an official from Kapurbawdi police station said.The woman also lodged a case against the victim, accusing him of rape and making a false promise of marriage, following which he was arrested. While he was in judicial custody, she allegedly extorted Rs 20 lakh from one of his relatives, the official said.Police said the accused later demanded an additional Rs 15 lakh. She allegedly sought legal advice from lawyers in Bhilwara and Thane as part of the conspiracy to extort money from the victim.Based on the doctor’s complaint, Kapurbawdi police registered an FIR against the woman on Tuesday under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including 318(4) (cheating), 308(2) (extortion), 351(2) (criminal intimidation) and 248(b) (false charge of offence made with intent to injure).No arrests have been made so far, and further investigation is underway, the official added.
