A woman who targeted unmarried men eager for marriage, and allegedly looted them of valuables after marrying them, has been arrested by the Rajasthan police. Following a flood of complaints that a newlywed bride had absconded with jewelry and cash, the police launched an undercover operation and apprehended her red-handed. She was taken into custody on Monday in Bhopal by the Sawai Madhopur police. During interrogation, it was revealed that she had duped 25 men in a similar manner over the past seven months. Police have also cracked the marriage racket behind her and have initiated a search for her gang members.
Anuradha Paswan, a 23-year-old native of Maharajganj in Uttar Pradesh, previously worked at a hospital. After divorcing her husband due to domestic disputes, she relocated to Madhya Pradesh. Settling in Bhopal, she allegedly joined hands with a marriage racket. This gang specifically targeted men who were anxious to get married. They would collect hefty commissions under the pretext of arranging a match, showing Anuradha’s photo and organizing a legally valid wedding.
After staying with the groom’s family for a few days, Anuradha would seize the opportunity to flee overnight with gold, cash, and electronic items. She is said to have carried out this scam in multiple states, victimizing 25 men in just seven months. The fraud came to light following a complaint lodged on May 3 by Vishnu Sharma from Sawai Madhopur. He claimed to have paid ₹2 lakh to two agents, Sunita and Pappu Meena, to arrange a marriage with Anuradha. According to Vishnu Sharma, the marriage took place legally in a local court on April 20, but Anuradha fled with valuable household items on May 2.
In response to the complaint, police deployed a constable disguised as a prospective groom. Upon engaging with the agents, the constable received a photo of Anuradha and arranged a meeting, the details of which he relayed to senior officers. Subsequently, a police raid was conducted and Anuradha was taken into custody.
The police have identified other suspects involved in the racket, including Roshni, Raghubir, Golu, Majbooth Singh Yadav, and Arjun. Search operations are underway to apprehend the remaining members of the gang.
