A woman in Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh who posed as an IAS officer married a man and fled with gold jewellery and cash worth nearly ₹1 crore in a case of matrimonial fraud. The accused is now arrested, and police are on the trail of other members of the alleged fraud network.
According to police, Abhishek had long wanted to marry an IAS officer, and while he was on the internet, he came across the profile of a woman claiming to be an IAS officer. Once they had her mobile number, they began to communicate regularly, and those conversations led to marriage.
The woman introduced herself as Sadhana and claimed to be an IAS officer. Having faith in her identity, Abhishek and his family agreed on the marriage after they went through all the formalities.
The wedding was conducted in the presence of both families. The groom's family gifted the bride gold jewellery, other valuable items, and money at the wedding and as part of the marriage rituals.
But the shocking twist came on the wedding night, the complaint says. Using the opportunity, the bride, with her gold ornaments, money and other belongings, apparently fled from the house.
Abhishek’s family immediately contacted the police and filed a complaint of fraud. Preliminary estimates suggest that the total value of the stolen jewellery and cash is close to ₹1 crore.
Police, taking the matter as a major organized fraud, formed three special teams to track the accused. After the investigation, officers were able to arrest Sadhana, who they suspect was hiding after the incident.
Investigators, according to a police report, found out that the woman was not an IAS officer and had been impersonating a civil servant to gain the trust of prospective grooms. Police suspect that the accused may be part of a larger gang involved in marriage-related fraud.
Authorities have also searched for the woman’s parents and other suspected accomplices who were involved in planning and executing this scam. Raids are underway at different locations to find the rest of the accused.
Police are now investigating whether the group has cheated other families using a similar modus operandi. The fake identity documents and social media profiles allegedly used to deceive the victim have been tested, they said.
The incident has once again brought home the increasing risk of matrimonial fraud through social media and online platforms. Families need to thoroughly check the qualifications (education, employment records, and official identity) of prospective brides and grooms before making a marriage.
The investigation is ongoing, and police are expected to uncover more details about the alleged fraud network in the coming days.
