5 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Feb 20, 2026 03:15 PM IST
Gujarat High Court news: The Gujarat High Court modified the conviction of two men and acquitted a third person in a 2010 case involving a honeytrap, extortion and impersonation of police officers.
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While partially allowing the plea of the three accused, the division bench of Justices Ilesh J Vora and R T Vachhani said that such offences in which people earn “easy money” are now increasing.
Justices Ilesh J Vora and R T Vachhani partially allowed the plea of the three accused.
Considering that two of the accused passed away during the case’s pendency, the court reduced the sentence of the remaining two accused from five years to two years.
The court cited that the offence of dacoity could not be sustained because the number of persons found to have conjointly committed the crime was now fewer than five.
“Nowadays, such kinds of offences are increasing because people at large earn easy money by adopting such shortcuts, and therefore, considering the seriousness of the offence and to set an example to society, justice would be served if the sentence of five years imposed should be reduced to the sentence of two years,” the court said on February 17.
Honeytrap, fake cops, and extortion
- The case originated from an incident on January 4, 2010, when the complainant was travelling by motorbike from Ahmedabad to Nadiad.
- The accused woman sought a lift from the complainant and eventually lured him to a secluded area near Hari Om Ashram under the pretext of an intimate encounter.
- While at the location, four men arrived in a car and pretended to be officials from the local crime branch in Kheda.
- They questioned the complainant about why he was there and what he was doing with the woman, further alleging that he was forcing her to indulge in intimate acts.
- The complainant explained that they were passing their time and came for a ride.
- The four accused did not accept the explanation.
- After hurling abuses, the complainant was beaten up with a stick and threatened by the accused that they would lodge a First Information Report (FIR).
- They asked the complainant to take a seat in the car and demanded Rs 50,000 for a “settlement”.
- The complainant said he lacked sufficient funds and that he only had Rs 300 with him.
- The accused looted Rs 300, a copy of the licence, and a mobile phone from the complainant.
- The complainant, thereafter, agreed to pay Rs 50,000 in Ahmedabad.
- The accused and the complainant proceeded from that place to Ahmedabad to secure the amount.
How the plan unravelled
- The scheme unravelled when the accused drove the complainant towards Ahmedabad to collect the extortion money.
- Their vehicle was intercepted at a police checkpoint near Bilodara jail by actual local crime branch officers who discovered the impersonation after the complainant sought their help.
- Thereafter, the complainant lodged an FIR with the Nadiad Rural police, which was registered under sections 386 (extortion by putting person in fear of death or grievous hurt), 419 (cheating by personation) and 170 (personating public servant), read with Section 114 (abettor present during offence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
- During the pendency of the proceedings, two of the five accused died.
- The sessions court in 2010 convicted three out of the five accused for offences, including impersonating public servants and dacoity.
- The sessions court awarded a maximum punishment of five years for the offence punishable under Section 395 (dacoity) of the IPC.
‘Releasing accused on probation would affect society’
- It is clarified that any sentence undergone is given set off, and sentences are ordered to run concurrently, the court stated.
- We may refer to Section 4 of the Probation of Offenders Act, which provides the court the power to release offenders on probation of good conduct.
- Another provision for probation is found in Section 360 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), which enables the court, under certain circumstances, to release a convicted accused on probation of good conduct.
- Considering the nature of the offence, its impact on society, and the circumstances in which the offence was committed, we do not agree to release the accused on probation of good conduct.
- The accused posed as local police officials, robbed Rs 300, and committed robbery.
- The six-month sentence imposed for the Section 170 offence requires no modification or interference.
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