MEERUT, March 9 -- Muzaffarnagar police on Sunday arrested four members, including a woman, of a honey-trap gang that allegedly targeted Gram Panchayat Pradhan poll candidates and extorted money by threatening them with false molestation and rape cases. One suspect remains absconding.

The case came to light after a man filed a complaint at the New Mandi police station, alleging that Aftab, Riyasat, Parvez, Sajid and a woman identified as Varjina had formed an organised gang that used honey-trap tactics to blackmail people, particularly those contesting village head elections.

Based on the complaint, police registered a case under sections 318(4), 231, 212, 308(7), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and launched an investigati...