HC directs Delhi Police Commissioner to compile data related to honey trap cases

New Delhi [India], September 24 : The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed the Delhi Police Commissioner to compile the data and frame guidelines related to the honey trap cases.
Court's directions came during the hearing of an alleged honey trap case where a businessman approached the court for grant of bail in a case against him on the charges of rape.
A bench of Justice Suresh Kumar Kait, while granted relief to the petitioner in a similar honey trap matter, directed the Commissioner of Delhi Police to take note of a similar type of incidents that had happened in Delhi in the year 2020 and issue standing orders to all the concerned police stations that action may be taken as per law, however, without harassing such person/alleged accused therein.
Court also stated that "Though acceptance allurement is not justified, but at the same time, allurement advanced for extortion of money is also not acceptable".
Justice Kait said, "I have gone through the photographs and chats which are annexed with the present petition which seems to be the allurement on the part of the complainant and petitioner got trapped therein, however, without commenting on the merits of the prosecution case, I am of the view that petitioner deserves protection from this Court. Accordingly, the SHO/IO concerned is directed that in the event of arrest, the petitioner/applicant shall be released on bond on his furnishing a personal bond in the sum of Rs 25,000. The petitioner shall cooperate with the investigation and make himself available for interrogation by the police officer, as and when required".
Meanwhile, Additional Public Prosecutor had opposed the petition by stating that presence of the petitioner at the spot is not in dispute.
"He admittedly had gone to the house of the complainant with wine bottles and seen pictures as he claimed to have sent by the complainant. He had no business to attend her call and go to a stranger lady at her place after a first conversation. Thus, the allegations are serious against the petitioner, therefore, the petition deserves to be dismissed," the prosecutor said.
Senior Counsel Vikas Pahwa, for the petitioner submitted that petitioner has been trapped and tricked under a well-designed, meticulously planned and thoroughly woven racket of extortionists.
He further submitted that during the entire chatting, "there is no whisper of any job opening or payment/salary structure or work timings or past job experiences. Surprisingly to the contrary, she shares her bikini pictures by the pool and other seductive pictures in order to allure the petitioner. Once the petitioner was being seduced, the next step to call him at home was easy. The complainant called the petitioner at home and when her demand of Rs 5,00,000 was not fulfilled, she registered an entirely fabricated, false and concocted case of rape against the petitioner."