Surat Honeytrap Case: Woman, Lawyer Arrested for Rs 50 Lakh Extortion Bid

Surat | Gujarat — The Surat crime branch has arrested a girl and his lawyer friend for trapping a realtor in the honeytrap and demanding ransom worth Rs 50 lakh. A girl’s friendship, physical relationship, spy video, blackmailing and extortion game with a builder from Surat has been exposed. 

The accused identified as Hetal Baraiya and advocate Abhishek Sethia were trapped by the Surat crime branch sleuths when they had arrived at the location given by the realtor for collecting the first installment of Rs 20 lakh on Sunday. 

The accused girl and the builder came into contact in the year 2022. After that, both of them used to go to different hotels and have physical relations. The girl had created a game to extort a large amount of money by making videos of private moments without the builder’s knowledge, but the Surat Crime Branch foiled her game.

She started blackmailing by making a nude video call with the builder and recording the screen.

A builder living in Surat came into contact with a girl named Hetal Baraiya in the year 2022. After that, they used to meet each other on regular basis. Hetal felt that if the builder was worthy of money, then a good amount could be extorted from him. After this idea came to Hetal, the honeytrap started.

Hetal made normal video calls and nude video calls during the conversation with the builder. The call was recorded without the builder’s knowledge and then the extortion game started. A ransom of Rs 50 lakh was demanded from the builder by threatening to make the nude video viral and to frame him in a rape case. If he did not want to file a complaint, then finally Rs. 42.50 lakh ransom money was decided.

Hetal and her lawyer friend Abhishek Sethia had called the builder to the food zone in VR Mall to give the first installment of 20 lakhs. The police team was also active when the builder filed a police complaint in the honeytrap case. Before Hetal and Abhishek Sethia could leave the food zone after taking 20 lakhs from the builder, the Surat Crime Branch caught both of them with 20 lakhs in cash.

Surat Crime Branch has arrested Hetal Vitthalbhai Baraiya and his lawyer Abhishek Sanjay Sethia in this honeytrap case. A search has been started for two other accused wanted in the gang. Rs. 20.85 lakh worth of cash have been seized from the accused.

In the builder’s complaint, the accused woman Hetalben Pareshbhai Baraiya said that the builder had come in 2022 for the work of a friend living in Mota Varachha, Surat. During that time, he met Hetal, who lives in Nana Varachha area, and Hetal had given her mobile number right away. After that, the two used to talk and a good friendship also developed. When Hetal would call the builder to meet him, the builder would come to Surat in a car to meet him. After that, both of them used to go to different malls and gardens for walks.

Hetal Baraiya is divorced and has a young daughter. Currently, both Hetal and her daughter live alone. However, the builder used to give her money for the household expenses. Hetal would also ask him to go to different hotels. They would rent rooms in different hotels in Surat and both would have physical relations. When both of them were away, Hetal would make video calls to the builder and also make nude video calls. This pattern continued for three years.

In the midst of all these things, the video of the screen recording of the nude video call was sent to the builder and the game of blackmailing started. An application was also filed at the women’s police station at Katargam to scare the builder. In which Hetal was given all the help by lawyer Abhishek. Along with this, the involvement of people named Suresh Jain alias Jayesh Prajapati and Ashok was also revealed.

After catching Hetal and lawyer Abhishek red-handed accepting extortion, DCP Bhavesh Rozia said that Hetal and the builder were in touch with each other for two and a half years. Hetal had recorded the nude video call between the two. Apart from this, he called them to some place and shot their videos. After that, Rs 50 lakh was demanded from the builder.

First of all, people should be careful not to fall victim to this type of gang and if they fall victim to the gang by mistake, they should complain to the nearest police station and get help. An investigation has also been started to see if Hetal has trapped others with the similar modus operandi.