MUMBAI, March 15 -- What begins as a promising Saturday night date after a few playful exchanges on a dating app was turning into an expensive nightmare for several unsuspecting users in Mumbai. After laying a trap, the Saki Naka police on Saturday arrested ten people allegedly involved in a coordinated "date scam" racket, including restaurant staff and bouncers who were part of the operation. Last month, a corporate professional in his mid-thirties learnt this the hard way after he swiped right on a glamorous, witty woman whose profile seemed to tick all the right boxes. After chatting for a few days, the two decided to meet for dinner at a swanky bar and restaurant in Bandra. The evening began like any other date. The woman picked up the menu and confidently ordered imported tequila, sushi platters and other gourmet dishes. Drinks flowed and platters kept arriving at the table. But when it was time to settle the bill, she excused herself to go to the washroom. Minutes passed, but she never returned. When the bill arrived, the man was stunned. It totalled Rs.40,000. Before he could react, restaurant staff and bouncers allegedly pressured him to clear the amount immediately. Realising he had been duped, the man approached the police. Investigations revealed he was not the only victim. According to the police, several men and women had reported being lured by glamorous profiles on dating apps. In several cases, victims were allegedly intimidated by bouncers into paying bills ranging from Rs.15,000 to Rs.40,000. With complaints piling up, the police decided to lay a trap on Saturday. A 37-year-old Khar resident was used as a decoy and asked to go on a date at Heaven Terrace 72 Cafe, a bar and restaurant specialising in North Indian, Chinese and Continental cuisine in Saki Naka. Police said the operation uncovered a coordinated racket involving the women, restaurant staff and bouncers, with the money allegedly shared among them. A case has been registered against 13 people, including three women. Those named include restaurant manager Mayank Katuria, 20, operators Mayur Didole and Nitesh Amadaskar, and bouncer Jatin Kumar, 24. Police have invoked sections 308 (extortion) and 318 (cheating) of the BNS and sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the IT Act....