Rajkot, March 10: An apparently harmless "Hello" or "Good morning" WhatsApp message from an unknown number might lead to serious problems if the exchange goes on for too long. A 38-year-old agricultural merchant from Jasdan, close to Rajkot in Gujarat, discovered this the hard way when he struck up a conversation on social media with an unknown woman. After the woman's accomplices sidetracked them and threatened to accuse him for rape, Kalpesh Kanani, the victim, consented to drop her off in Rajkot from Jasdan, and that's when everything went wrong for him.

Following Kanani's allegation, the woman and six other people were taken into custody by the Rajkot (rural) police department's local crime section on Saturday, March 9, 2024. The gang had Rs 5.65 lakh confiscated by the police. Gujarat: Husband-Wife Duo Plot to Extort Rs 4 Lakh From Milkman, Threatening Him to Frame in Rape Charges in Rajkot; FIR Registered.

While attending a social event on February 27, Kanani received a message from a lady identifying herself as Kajal Pansuriya. He became a little doubtful, but she persuaded him by making a video call. Her 'good morning' message reached him again the next day. Kanani informed her that he had to leave Jasdan for Rajkot in order to do some work. The woman asked that he drop her off in Rajkot and that she meet him at the Jasdan bus depot, which is where she would be arriving from Botad.

She requested that Kanani pull over at the Tramba intersection as they were travelling to Rajkot. After dragging Kanani outside in another car, four individuals started beating him. If he did not give them Rs 3 lakh, they threatened to put him in a rape case and accused him of walking about with the woman for three days. Kanani urged his friend to send the money to the address the gang had given him over the phone. As soon as they had the money, they left. Gujarat: 2 Held for Forced Religious Conversion and Demanding Rs 25 Lakh Extortion Money From Hindu Family.

Two females, including the crime's mastermind Jaypalsinh Rabari, Kismat Rabari, Ashok Rabari, Atul Koli, and Mahipatsinh Gohil, were taken into custody by the police. The police withheld the women's identities. They claimed to have obtained Kanani's phone number from his social media page during the initial interrogation.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 10, 2024 07:24 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).