Telangana HC upholds invoking of PD Act against gang committing honey trap crimes

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Tuesday upheld the decision of the Hyderabad police to invoke the Prevention Detention Act against a gang accused of ‘honey trapping’ locals.

A division bench of Justice K. Lakshman and K. Sujana also backed the police booking the gang as dacoits. The bench observed that it was essential to detain the gang for the maintenance of public order.

The bench was dealing with five habeas corpus petitions filed by their relatives, seeking release of Mohd. Imran Khan, Shaik Basheer, Md. Viquar Mehdi, Mohd. Ali and Syed Raffiq, now detained in Central Prison, Chanchalguda.

They were charged with targeting and attacking vulnerable people as well as taking photographs of men with women and using them to blackmail the victims.

Special government counsel Mujib Kumar Sadashivuni said the gang members are accustomed to leading a life of crime.