Woman accuses SI of rape, police WhatsApp groups busy warning colleagues of honeytrap

Thiruvananthapuram: Following a sexual abuse complaint by a woman against a sub-inspector in Thiruvananthapuram district, several police officers in Kerala are panicked and frantic WhatsApp group messages warning of a honeytrap are doing the rounds in the state now.

According to sources, a confidential statement of the woman, who had complained of rape against Thumba police station sub-inspector Sumesh Lal, will be recorded before a magistrate. The investigating officer in the case has filed a plea in the magistrate's court in this regard.

The Museum police registered a case against Sumesh Lal on the basis of the complaint that the officer raped her promising marriage.

The incidents related to the case began when the woman announced her threat to commit suicide on Facebook alleging that the police officer cheated her. The woman said she would end her life because even after complaining to the chief minister's office, no action has been taken in the case.

When it kicked up a controversy, the DGP's office intervened and got her to delete the Facebook post. After this, the woman's statement was taken. In her statement, she claimed promising marriage, she was taken to different hotels in Thiruvananthapuram and raped. A case was filed against the SI on the basis of the statement.

However, senior officers said they would record her statement before a magistrate. They will also examine phone calls between the woman and the SI.

The investigation team also revealed that the woman has several police officers as friends on Facebook. She has set up the Facebook account in the name of a woman official at Kerala University. Police inquiry found that the university official had no connection with the jobless complainant.

Alerts for cops

As the investigation into the case is progressing, warning messages are doing the rounds on WhatsApp groups. The warning is based on the case filed by the woman. It says that SIs in Alappuzha and Thiruvananthapuram have lost big money after falling into honeytrap by a particular woman.

The message, circulating in the WhatsApp groups of police officials, has urged them to exercise caution. The Intelligence Department has also launched an investigation into the matter.

The message in a Kochi-based WhatsApp group of police officers goes as follows: “Dear friends in the police, a lady with the Facebook ID **** is striking friendship with policemen, particularly of SI rank. She feigns love and later blackmails the cops. Many officers have lost lakhs of rupees. The woman is a habitual offender who targets the cops. Be careful.”

The allegations are against a housewife in Thiruvananthapuram.

Phone trap

According to sources, the woman traps police officers by expressing her love towards them. She makes friends with the officers through Facebook and soon obtains their mobile number. She subsequently contacts the officers and claims that some other policeman owed her some money. She would speak of filing a case against the other cop. Such calls would be repeated several times and the woman and the police officer would get friendlier. All the subsequent calls would be recorded by the woman who later blackmails the officer based on the conversations.

Stern warning

All the social media groups of police officers display the Facebook address and photo of this woman. Senior police officers have been strictly warned against this lady. Similar warnings were circulated a few months ago also.