Delhi Police creates fake Instagram handle to honey trap criminal evading arrest for a decade
New Delhi, Jun 13: A criminal who had evaded arrest for over a decade fell for a honey trap laid by Delhi Police in which a male constable posed as a woman on a social media platform, officials said on Thursday.
The constable created a fake Instagram handle to lure 45-year-old Bunty, accused in 20 cases of snatching theft, possession of illegal arms and bootlegging at different police stations in Delhi, they said.
"The accused was declared as a proclaimed offender (PO) by city court in June 26, 2013 in a case registered against him in Tilak Nagar Police Station," Deputy Commissioner of Police (north) Manoj Kumar Meena said.
Even after several attempts by the team, he remained at large, the DCP said terming him a hardcore criminal.
The team received a tip-off this year that Bunty was hiding in Indira Vikas Colony, he said.
When the team visited the location, they found out that Bunty was using an Instagram account, the DCP said.
"Later, the team laid many traps and efforts were made to trace the accused, but the offender remained at large. Subsequently, the team member, a head-constable Omparkash Dagar came up with an innovative idea," said the DCP.
The constable created a fake Instagram handle with a girl's name, Meena said.
"Dagar started chatting with Bunty and he was eager to befriend the 'fake girl'," said the DCP.
Later, Bunty agreed to meet the constable posing as a girl at Punjabi Bagh Metro Station.
"On June 7, the meeting was fixed. The team was ready and laid a strategic trap with the help of technical surveillance. As the accused reached the spot, he was successfully apprehended from Punjabi Bagh Metro Station," the police officer said.
The DCP said Bunty kept changing his address and phone numbers regularly to evade arrest.
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Mamata visits Bhabanipur EVM strong room, warns against counting irregularities
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee early Friday warned against any attempt to tamper with the counting process, hours after she visited an EVM strong room in Bhabanipur, alleging possible malpractice.
Banerjee, who emerged around 12:07 am after spending nearly four hours at the counting centre for her Bhabanipur constituency housed in Sakhawat Memorial School in south Kolkata, said only one person would be allowed inside the designated counting area.
"Either the candidate or one agent can stay upstairs. I have also suggested installation of a CCTV camera for the media," she told reporters.
Stressing the need for transparency, she said, "It is essential to maintain transparency. People’s votes must be protected. I rushed here after receiving complaints. The central forces initially did not allow me to enter."
Sounding a stern note ahead of the May 4 counting, she added, "If there is any plan to tamper with the counting process, it will not be tolerated."
On Thursday evening, Banerjee had reached the Bhabanipur Assembly segment counting centre, which houses the strong room for EVMs used in the April 29 polling, citing suspicion of tampering with the machines.
She entered the premises along with her election agent and remained inside for hours, even as Kolkata Mayor and TMC candidate from the Kolkata Port segment Firhad Hakim reached the spot but could not meet her.
"I reached here upon learning that the chief minister has arrived. But I couldn’t meet her since she was already inside the premises, exercising her right as a candidate to visit strong rooms. I wasn’t allowed there. I will not be able to confirm what exactly is transpiring inside," Hakim said.
The development coincided with protests by TMC candidates Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja outside the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra in north Kolkata, where they staged a sit-in alleging irregularities and possible tampering of EVMs stored in strong rooms, leading to face-offs between TMC and BJP supporters.
Earlier in a video message, Banerjee had urged party leaders, workers and polling agents to maintain a 24-hour vigil on EVM strong rooms, alleging that the BJP could attempt to tamper with the machines before counting begins.
Her remarks come amid heightened political tension in the state following a fiercely contested Assembly election, with parties closely monitoring arrangements and raising concerns over transparency.
