A case of a suspected honeytrap scam has come to light from Haryana. A woman judge was allegedly duped of more than Rs 52 lakh in a suspected honeytrap scam after matching on dating app Tinder with a man who identified himself as “Abhimanyu Vashishth” and claimed to be working in a secret government department.
The complaint was not filed by the judge herself, but by her domestic help, who told police she had been cheated through the online dating app.
The two connected in November 2025 and eventually entered into a relationship, during which the accused allegedly convinced the woman to invest money by vowing lucrative returns. When the promised profits failed to materialise, allegations of cheating and fraud came to light, according to a News18 report.
The accused was arrested and sent to judicial custody. After a lower court declined bail, he approached a sessions court seeking relief.
While considering the plea, Additional Sessions Judge noted that nearly all disputed transactions originated from the judge's bank accounts rather than those of the domestic worker.
The court observed that the complaint did not appear to identify the actual victim and remarked that a judge had chosen to approach the criminal justice system indirectly rather than in her own name.
The judge acknowledged that victims of romance scams may experience embarrassment, but highlighted that such concerns cannot override the need for a transparent and complete probe.
Investigation gaps highlighted
The order also highlighted significant gaps in the investigation. Police neither obtained the Tinder chats through which the two allegedly connected nor secured the complete WhatsApp exchanges between the judge and the accused. Call detail records, as well, had not been collected.
The court also criticised the accused for allegedly withholding information. It noted that he had selectively produced messages sent by the judge while deleting his own responses and had not provided access to his phone.
Calling the conduct "hide and seek", the court said the accused's actions had further complicated the probe. Further investigation in the matter is underway.
