Man poses as cop, extorts 25k from massage therapist - The Times of India

[mnews]

Pune: An unknown man contacted a 27-year-old massage therapist through a gay dating app and extorted Rs25,000 by claiming to be police personnel on Feb 25 in the Parvati area.
The victim on Thursday lodged a complaint with the Swargate police, who registered a case under sections 204 (impersonating as public servant), 308 (extortion), and 115 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
An officer from the Swargate police told TOI that the complainant claimed that he contacted customers through a gay dating app.
"According to the complainant, he received a message on Feb 25 from an unknown number asking whether the latter would like to meet him. The complainant thought the person was a customer for massage and gave him details of his charges. The unknown person replied that he would come to the massage therapist's house in the Parvati area around 6pm," the officer said.
"As soon as the unknown person entered the house of the complainant, he threatened the victim claiming he was a police personnel and beat him up," the officer said.
The investigating officer said the suspect demanded Rs25,000 for not taking any legal action against the massage therapist.
Since the victim was not carrying cash, the suspect took him to an ATM kiosk near Swargate and even dropped him back home.
The officer said the victim was terrified and contacted his friend, who advised him to approach the police. "We are searching for the suspect," he said.
Pune: An unknown man contacted a 27-year-old massage therapist through a gay dating app and extorted Rs25,000 by claiming to be police personnel on Feb 25 in the Parvati area.
The victim on Thursday lodged a complaint with the Swargate police, who registered a case under sections 204 (impersonating as public servant), 308 (extortion), and 115 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
An officer from the Swargate police told TOI that the complainant claimed that he contacted customers through a gay dating app.
"According to the complainant, he received a message on Feb 25 from an unknown number asking whether the latter would like to meet him. The complainant thought the person was a customer for massage and gave him details of his charges. The unknown person replied that he would come to the massage therapist's house in the Parvati area around 6pm," the officer said.
"As soon as the unknown person entered the house of the complainant, he threatened the victim claiming he was a police personnel and beat him up," the officer said.
The investigating officer said the suspect demanded Rs25,000 for not taking any legal action against the massage therapist.
Since the victim was not carrying cash, the suspect took him to an ATM kiosk near Swargate and even dropped him back home.
The officer said the victim was terrified and contacted his friend, who advised him to approach the police. "We are searching for the suspect," he said.