THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The police had the other day arrested Aswathy Achu (39) in the case of extorting money from a 68-year-old man on false promise of marriage. Aswathy told police that she extorted money from him thinking that it would be easy to squeeze money from him considering his age. There are reports that cops and politicians have fallen into her trap.

Although there are complaints of extorting money by honey trapping policemen, there is presently only one case. All have been settled. Some were withdrawn fearing defamation. The woman was arrested yesterday in a case of extorting money from a retired bank employee from Poovar, a widower.

The 68-year-old man had told his friend Mohan to find a home nurse to look after his differently abled daughter. He suggested her name. It is believed that Mohan knew everything about her.

Aswathy promised to marry him and also take care of his daughter. He fell for it. She told him that she has a debt of Rs 40,000 and promised to marry him as soon as she clears her debt.

The bank employee first gave her Rs 25,000 and later paid her Rs 15,000 when they came to register their marriage at Poovar sub registrar office. After receiving the money, she fled saying that she would come after taking photos. When contacted her on the phone later, Aswathy refused to have received the money. He later lodged a complaint with the police.

Aswathy had given a copy of her Aadhaar card for marriage registration. When examining it, the police understood her as she had committed similar frauds before. When the police called her on her phone, she said that she was in Kollam. However, with the help of the cyber cell, she was arrested from her rented flat in Muttada.

She first told police that she received only Rs 1000 as bus fare and that she withdrew from the marriage as she did not like him. However, she confessed to the crime after the bank proofs were shown. She is the daughter of Radhamani of Aswathi Bhavan at Ayur Thulamulakkal in Kollam.