Robbery Racket Using Grindr Dating App Busted by Pune City Police; Two Arrested
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Pune, 16th July 2025: In a shocking case involving digital deception and extortion, Pune Police have arrested two men for robbing a person by luring him through a gay dating app, Grindr. The incident took place near the Nanded City Gate area and was detected by Nanded City Police Station under Pune City Police’s Zone 3.
An offence was registered under CR No. 138/2025 at Nanded City Police Station under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) — including 309(3) (robbery), 115(2) (criminal intimidation), 351(3) (sexual assault), 131 (wrongful confinement), and 3(5) (common intention).
According to the complaint, the victim was contacted through Grindr by an unknown individual, who, along with an accomplice, convinced him to meet near Nanded City Gate. Once the victim arrived, the duo forcibly took him into a car, allegedly removed his pants, recorded a video without his consent, and threatened to circulate the footage to his family. They then extorted ₹8,000 via PhonePe and Google Pay from the victim.
DCP (Zone 3) Sambhaji Kadam said, “The investigation revealed the involvement of two accused — Robin alias Shubham Kamble (27), a resident of Nanded Phata on Sinhagad Road, and Omkar Mandlik, a resident of Vadgaon Khurd. Both have been arrested and are currently in police custody.”
The police are probing whether the duo has targeted other victims using similar tactics. Authorities have urged the public to exercise caution while interacting with strangers on dating platforms, especially when meeting in isolated or unfamiliar locations.
Further investigation is underway to determine if the accused are part of a larger racket.
