Blackmailing turns into family trade in city

Guwahati, June 14: Cases of blackmailing and honey trapping is on the rise in Guwahati. Two such cases presently under investigation by Geetanagar police are 397/17 u/s 341/ 342/354/506/34 filed by Mrinal Kalita, advocate by profession and resident of Mothghoria and 422/17 u/s 420/392/506/34 filed by Mrinal Das of Chandmari and owner of Sunday Car Bazaar.

First incident pertaining to the alleged blackmailing of advocate Mrinal Kalita took place on the night of September 15, 2017. As per police report, on that fateful night one Mousumi Deka, a resident of LavKush Apartment of Senduri Ali rang up Mrinal Kalita and informed him about differences with her husband and expressed her desire of filing a divorce case. While Kalita asked her to come to his chamber, she informed that her son was sick and requested him to come to her residence.

The advocate arrived to her residence at about 9 pm and found that there were five youths present at Mousumi Deka's place.They demanded money from Kalita and snartched away Rs 5000 and also three ATM cards from his possession. The youths confined Kalita to Mousimi's room and withdrew Rs 39, thousand through the ATM cards and finally released him at midnight.

So far as the second case is involved, the same woman id allegedly involved. The incident took place on October 30, 2017. In this case Mousumi Deka allegedly rang up Mrinal Das, the owner of Sunday Car Bazar, and informed that she wanted to dispose off her vehicle and called him to her residence. When Mrinal Das arrive at Mousumi Deka's place five youths and Mousumi's mother, Ritamoni Deka were present at the place. They allegedly snatched away Mrinal Das' gold chain of cash from his possession. Two persons filed two separate cases at Geetanagar police station. While the investigation got underway, the police first arrested Ritamoni Deka in 2017 and later in the same year also managed to arrest Mousumi Deka.

On May 31 this year, Mousimi' brother Udipta Deka was arrested. On the basis of Udipta's confession, on June 1 one Kirtik Ranjan Das was arrested and on the night of June 13, one Dhantu Das of Birkuchi in Narangi area was also arrested. As per police sources, one Wasid Ali allegedly involved in the blackmailing racket is still absconding. While investigation into the cases continues, sources indicate that more arrests could be on the cards.