In a shocking incident worthy of a Bollywood film, a 23-year-old woman was arrested earlier this week for allegedly marrying 25 men in various states within seven months, only to abscond days later with gold, cash, and electronic devices. The suspect, Anuradha Paswan, was arrested in Bhopal on Monday, May 19, as a result of an operation by the Sawai Madhopur police in Rajasthan.
According to a Times of India report Paswan was part of an organised marriage scam that targeted unsuspecting unmarried males from small towns who were desperate for marriage. Paswan’s scheme involved pretending to be an ideal bride, marrying the groom with all legal documents in order and then leaving days later while destroying the groom financially.
Groom Scammed Days After Marriage
The matter came to light when Vishnu Sharma, who lives in Sawai Madhopur, made a police complaint on May 3. He stated that he had given Rs 2 lakh to agents Sunita and Pappu Meena who introduced him to Anuradha. The couple married in court on April 20, and by May 2 Sharma returned home to find his bride and belongings missing.
She apparently took gold jewelry, cash, and electronic equipment. Taking Sharma’s complaint, police investigated discreetly with an undercover officer as a groom. When one of the agents sent out Anuradha’s picture for another potential match, police followed her to Bhopal and arrested her before she could scam another groom.
What Did The Probe Uncover?
Anuradha was originally from Maharajganj, Uttar Pradesh and previously worked in a hospital before leaving her husband. After leaving her husband following a domestic dispute, she relocated to Bhopal where she allegedly joined a gang with a matrimonial scam, utilizing WhatsApp groups to defraud people.
Police state that she recently defrauded another man of Rs 2 lakh and was in the process of making arrangements for another fake wedding. There are multiple gang members that have been identified, and inter-state coordination is in process to bust the complete network.
