Family claims Pak-linked honey trap in Shamli man’s suicide

SHAMLI: Three days after a 27-year-old man allegedly died by suicide in Shamli district, his family claimed to have uncovered a suspected Pakistan-linked honeytrap racket linked to his death after accessing his mobile phone, police said on Friday.Mohammad Bilal, a farmer and resident of Malakpur village, was found dead in a forest area near the village on April 14. Before his death, he recorded a video message for his family, saying a fake app had ruined his life.The family performed the last rites without informing the police. On Thursday, family members accessed his phone and found chats and material suggesting a honey trap. They approached the police after continued suspicious calls were received and multiple numbers with Pakistan country codes were found on the device, along with morphed videos of the deceased. Probe so far indicates that Bilal was lured into the trap and he had transferred Rs 2 lakh to the fraudsters.Superintendent of police N P Singh said, “The case came to light after Bilal’s brother, Mohammad Suhail, lodged a complaint at Kandhla police station, following which a case was registered against unidentified persons under BNS sections 108 (abetment of suicide), 308(2) (extortion), 352 (intentional insult to provoke breach of the peace) and relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act.”Suhail told police that even after Bilal’s death, callers continued to send morphed obscene photos and demanded money.Most of the numbers traced on the phone were from Pakistan series, though officials suspect the operation may have been carried out through an app and could involve local gangs running similar rackets.