Pune city police arrested a five-person gang who allegedly robbed men seeking same-sex relationships through “Grindr,” a dating app for LGBTQIA+ people.
Police have identified the accused as Rahil Akil Shaikh (19), Nuhan Naeem Shaikh (18), both from Kondhwa Budruk, Wahid Dastagir Shaikh (18) from Kondhwa Khurd, Shahid Shahnoor Momin (25) and Ishan Nisar Shaikh (25), both from Katraj.
The discovery came during investigation of a first information report (FIR) lodged by a 27-year-old man from Wagholi at Kondhwa police station.
As stated in the FIR, the victim, who worked in a private company, was going by bus to Swargate from Katraj – Kondhwa road, around 7:30 pm on January 11. He further claimed that he received a message from an ID called “ImTop”, used by a person who identified himself as Rahil. The victim then spoke to Rahil on WhatsApp.
The FIR mentions that Rahil called the victim in Kondhwa around 9 pm to “connect”. Given this, the victim arrived at the scene. Here Rahil arrived with his friend on a two-wheeler. The duo took the victim with them and told him that they were going to Rahil’s house in Yewalewadi area. But instead he was taken to an open area in Pansare Nagar.
According to the FIR, Rahil called two more people at the spot. Rahil and the others brutally beat the victim and threatened to kill him by pointing a “koyta (machete)” at him, robbing him of his mobile phone, gold chain, two gold rings, a silver ring and Rs 800 in cash. They also snatched his ATM card and forcibly took away his PIN number, which they used to withdraw Rs 10,500 from the victim’s account, police said.
Fearing that his family would find out, the victim did not initially file a police report. But later, after discussing the incident with a family member, he approached the police and lodged the FIR on January 20.
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A team led by police inspector Kumar Gahadge of Kondhwa police station launched an investigation. Cops reviewed videos captured by several CCTV cameras around the crime scene and other locations for clues. Additionally, police investigated the cell phone number used by an accused to contact the victim.
According to information received from police officers Pushpendra Chavan and Suhan More during the investigation, the suspects were arrested from a place near the residence of the accused Rahil Shaikh, within a day. The police arrested the accused under sections 309(4), 115(2), 352.351(2)(3), 3(5) of Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS).
Police sub-inspector Ravindra Gawade, the investigating officer, said, “The investigation so far revealed that the accused have stolen at least two more through Grindr. The victims in both cases have filed separate FIRs at Kondhwa police station. We have seized three stolen mobile phones, a koyta and two-wheelers used by the accused to commit the crimes.”
“The accused targeted men seeking same-sex dates. The main accused, Rahil, had downloaded the Grindr app on his cell phone for this purpose. The accused believed that the victims would not file any complaint with the police. One of the accused, Ishan Shaikh, has a previous criminal record of three cases, including one under the strict Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA) and is currently out on bail. Further investigation is underway.” said.
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A court has remanded the accused in police custody till January 23. Police will remain in police custody in cases filed by two more victims, including a 24-year-old man from Pisoli, who works in a private company in Wakad.
Police said that the accused contacted the man through Grindr and called him to Kausar Baug area in Kondhwa for a meeting, on the night of December 28, 2025. But then, the accused robbed him of his cell phone, ornaments and other valuables, all worth Rs 33,300, pointing a sharp weapon at him. He also filed the FIR late on January 20.
Police said the accused similarly stole a cell phone and money, all worth Rs 30,000, from a 32-year-old man from Kondhwa, who worked at a leading hospital in the city, around 8 pm on December 31, 2025. He lodged an FIR for theft on January 1, but did not mention the dating app in his complaint. But an investigation has now revealed that he was also targeted by the accused through the gay dating app, police said.
There have been several similar cases in the past. In July of last year, police arrested two people for allegedly robbing a 22-year-old restaurant employee after inviting him to a meeting through an LGBTQ dating app. The victim had lodged the FIR in this case at the Nanded city police station.
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Even in previous cases, the police observed that the accused would register on the dating app only to target gay people. In most of these cases, it was found that the victims were afraid to file complaints as they did not want their families to know that they were using such apps.
Police have asked people to be very careful when using dating apps and to report crimes to police immediately.