Honeytrap gang assaults, extorts Dhoraji trader

Rajkot: A 29-year-old businessman from Dhoraji has alleged that a honeytrap gang assaulted him, filmed him nude and extorted Rs 1 lakh by threatening to file a false rape case and circulate the video, police said.Dhoraji City police registered a First Information Report (FIR) on Friday based on a complaint by Parash Sojitra, who runs a lathe business. According to the FIR, Sojitra had connected with a profile named ‘Riya' on an application and was asked to meet her at a secluded farm near Upleta on the night of April 22, 2026. On reaching the spot, a man on a scooter, later identified as Chirag Patel, led Sojitra to a room where a young woman was present. Soon after, Chirag and the woman allegedly made Sojitra strip. Three others — Nikunj Patel, Pratik Natvarlal Gajera and Raghu Rathod — then burst into the room. They allegedly kicked and punched Sojitra, hit him with a pipe, took away his mobile phone and car keys and recorded an obscene video of him. They claimed the woman was Chirag's "niece" and threatened to circulate the video in Dhoraji and file a rape complaint unless he paid them. The gang snatched Rs 1,500 in cash and demanded Rs 80,000 to "settle" the matter. Two unidentified women later arrived and raised the gang's demands. Sojitra was made to transfer Rs 1 lakh via UPI to the account of Pratik Natvarlal Gajera. After receiving the money, Raghu Rathod allegedly deleted the video in front of Sojitra, but warned him against approaching police.The FIR states that the blackmail continued after the incident. On April 24, Nikunj Patel allegedly called Sojitra, saying Chirag had poisoned himself over the ‘disgrace'. He demanded Rs 3 lakh for hospital expenses. Raghu Rathod also allegedly sent fake medical and ambulance bills on WhatsApp to intimidate him. Fearing social disgrace, Sojitra initially did not report the matter. He later approached police after confiding in a friend. Police booked Chirag Patel, Nikunj Patel, Pratik Gajera and Raghu Rathod, along with two unidentified women, under Sections 308(7), 309(6), 127(7), 61(2), 351(3), 352 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, covering offences including extortion, assault, criminal intimidation and criminal conspiracy.
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