In Kanpur, the police have arrested a woman named Divyanshi, accused of orchestrating a large-scale honey-trap and extortion racket. She reportedly married several men, filed fake rape cases against them, and then blackmailed them for money. The authorities say she targeted more than 12 men—including two bank managers and two police officers—and extorted crores of rupees by threatening legal action.

Described by investigators as a “looteri dulhan,” Divyanshi was arrested on Monday (17 November) following a detailed police investigation after a complaint by a sub-inspector posted in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Over the past two years, police allege, she built an elaborate network involving multiple bank accounts, contacts within the police force, and false allegations to ensnare men and squeeze money out of them.

First Bank Managers, Then Police Officers: How the Trap Worked

Investigators say that Divyanshi followed a consistent pattern. She would approach men through family connections or existing relationships, gain their trust, then enter into a romantic or matrimonial relationship. Once that connection was established, she would accuse them of rape or harassment and demand large sums of money in return for withdrawing the complaints. The scheme reportedly started with bank managers and then extended to police officers.

Her first identified victims were two bank managers: Ashish Raj and Amit Gupta. She married both of them and later accused them of rape. Those cases collapsed when she changed her statements in court, which raised suspicion among investigators. However, the pattern persisted when she married a police sub-inspector, Prempal Singh Pushkar, who was posted in Meerut. Shortly following the wedding, she filed another rape case against him. Despite repeated accusations, no strong legal action was taken against her at that time, enabling her to continue operating the same scheme with fresh targets.

SI’s Complaint Exposes the Network

The turning point in the investigation came when Sub-Inspector Aditya Kumar, posted at Gwal Toli police station in Kanpur, lodged a complaint with senior officials. He alleged that his wife, Divyanshi (whom he married in February 2024), was harassing and extorting him. Aditya’s personal background is also tragic: he lost both his parents at an early age, his father was a farmer, and his mother died of cancer. A relative brought him a marriage proposal for 30-year-old Divyanshi, claiming she lived in Mawana, Meerut, and belonged to a respectable family. Impressed by her appearance and the promise of a grand wedding, Aditya agreed. The couple married on 17 February 2024.

Strange Behaviour After Marriage Raises Suspicion

Not long after the wedding, trouble began. Aditya told police that Divyanshi rarely stayed at his home, often claiming she needed to focus on her B.Ed. and CTET exam preparations. When she did visit, she would delete payment apps like Google Pay and PhonePe from her phone. While Aditya was on duty, she would message him to urgently transfer money online — behaviour that he later found suspicious. Approximately four months into their marriage, during a holiday at home, Aditya checked her phone and found that she had again deleted all UPI apps. On reinstalling them and reviewing the transaction history, he discovered crores of rupees being transferred through 10 or more accounts. When he asked her about it, she responded with a fight, then abruptly left for her parental home.

Dramatic Accusations at the Commissioner’s Office

On 25 November 2024, Divyanshi turned up at the Kanpur Police Commissioner’s office and staged a dramatic scene. She accused Aditya of harassment and stealing ₹14.5 lakh. She also claimed that he had affairs with multiple women and was blackmailing them using photos and videos. After listening to both sides, Commissioner Akhil Kumar ordered an official investigation. Meanwhile, Divyanshi demanded ₹1 crore from Aditya to “settle” the matter. Aditya produced hundreds of documents showing financial transfers, call records, and false-case patterns—all pointing to a well-planned extortion racket.

Police Officers Also Part of the Racket

As the police dug deeper, they uncovered connections within the force. Several police officials from the Meerut region were found to have received large sums from Divyanshi’s accounts. Some of them even pressured Aditya to compromise with her. Investigators believe these officers may have been part of her network or at least benefited from it. According to police, she operated at least 10 bank accounts and moved nearly ₹8 crore through them. Transfers were traced to accounts held by a sub-inspector, an inspector, and even a circle officer.

Police also discovered that Divyanshi had previously filed rape complaints against three government employees, yet all of those cases ended in settlements or were finally closed. She had lodged multiple fake FIRs against several people over the years. According to police sources, her gang included some policemen, two lawyers and a female accomplice. This network reportedly targeted educated men with stable jobs, with the expectation that they would quietly give in out of fear of loss of reputation.