Tinder Match Turns Costly: Haryana Judge Allegedly Duped Of Rs 52 Lakh In Honeytrap Scam

New Delhi: A friendship that started through online dating app Tinder allegedly turned into a fraud of over Rs 52 lakh. There is an allegation of targeting a judicial officer of Haryana in the case. The accused had revealed himself to be an officer working in a secret government department and got lakhs of rupees transferred into his accounts by luring her with huge profits on investment. The case took a new turn when the complaint was filed not on behalf of the judicial officer but in the name of his domestic worker.

How did you identify the accused?

According to police records, the judicial officer had met the accused through Tinder last year. The accused revealed his name as Abhimanyu Vashishtha and described himself as an officer associated with a sensitive department of the central government. The conversation gradually turned into friendship and then a close relationship. During this time, the accused proposed investment schemes and assured more profits in less time.

Why was the question raised on the transaction of Rs 52 lakh?

Investigation revealed that an amount of more than Rs 52 lakh was sent to various bank accounts in the name of alleged investment. Later, when no profit was received on the investment and the amount was not returned, the suspicion of fraud arose. During the investigation, it also came to light that the transactions in question were mainly made from the accounts of the judicial officer, while the complaint was lodged in the name of some other person.

Why did the method of filing FIR come into discussion?

During the hearing of the case, the court made special comments on this aspect. The court said that the identity of the actual victim is not clearly visible in the complaint. The court also noted that if the amount had gone from the judicial officer's accounts then the complaint should have been filed directly in her name. The court acknowledged that in such cases the victim may face social discomfort, but this should not affect the transparency of the investigation.

What shortcomings in the investigation did the court point out?

During the hearing, the court found that the investigating agencies have not yet been able to obtain the complete records of the conversations on Tinder. Apart from this, the complete information of WhatsApp messages between the two parties also could not become a part of the investigation. Call detail records and other digital evidence have also not been collected completely. The court considered this a significant flaw in the investigation.

What did the court say about the attitude of the accused?

The court said in its order that the accused did not cooperate fully in the investigation. According to the court, the accused presented only selected messages while not providing the entire conversation. It was also said that there was not enough cooperation in the investigation of mobile phones. The court termed this attitude as "middleman" and hampering the investigation.

What will happen next in this case?

In view of the incomplete investigation and unavailability of important evidence, the court rejected the bail plea of the accused. Also, the investigating agencies have been instructed to collect complete records of Tinder and WhatsApp chats to confirm the meetings between the two and to thoroughly investigate all aspects related to money transactions. Now further action in the case will depend on the investigation report and digital evidence.