Today, 2nd May, The Supreme Court granted anticipatory bail to a hotel manager involved in the ‘Honey Trap’ case. The case involves allegations of using romantic or sexual relationships to blackmail individuals for illicit gains. The court’s decision provides temporary relief to the accused amid ongoing investigations into the matter.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court, On Thursday, provided anticipatory bail to a hotel manager who was implicated in a “honey trap” case concerning a BHEL employee in Bhopal. Justices Dipankar Datta and Pankaj Mithal presided over the bench, which also issued a notice to the Madhya Pradesh Police regarding the case and requested their response.
The bench stated,
“In the interim, the petitioner will not face arrest regarding the proceedings stemming from the FIR lodged at Police Station- Govindpura, District- Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh,”
Advocate Ashwani Kumar Dubey, representing the defendant, asserted that the petitioner is innocent and played no part in the alleged crime. Dubey emphasized that the disputed sum had been recovered from the co-accused, Manoj Mewari, and that a charge sheet already been filed in relation to the case.
The Supreme Court addressing an appeal lodged by the accused, Pushpendra Thakur, contesting a decision by the Madhya Pradesh High Court that denied his plea for anticipatory bail. The police alleged that the primary accused individual procured the complainant’s credit or debit card and then utilized it at a hotel to withdraw funds. Thakur purportedly present at the hotel and permitted the co-accused to use the card.
According to the police, the complainant, employed as an artisan in Bhopal, relocated his wife to their hometown in Tamil Nadu following her delivery in January.
The individual first connected with a woman through phone conversation. Subsequently, this woman introduced him to another woman, emphasizing her urgent need for employment. Together, they arranged to meet in person. The two women accompanied him to a residence situated in the Katara Hills area of Bhopal. Once inside the house, their gathering interrupted by two men posing as police officers. These imposters forcibly entered the premises and proceeded to intimidate the individual, threatening to falsely accuse him of rape. They demanded a sum of Rs 20 lakh as extortion.
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By granting anticipatory bail to the hotel manager implicated in this ‘Honey Trap’ case, the Supreme Court signalled a commitment to upholding the principles of justice and safeguarding individual rights, while also acknowledging the complexity and sensitivity of the circumstances involved. This decision may have far-reaching implications not only for the specific case at hand but also for the broader legal landscape surrounding issues of entrapment, consent, and the protection of defendants’ rights in similar situations.