Fake marriage racket busted in Tamil Nadu, five women arrested

An already married woman with two children had turned out to be a bride in this marriage drama. Police said M Rajendran, 34, a farmer and staying with his parents, was searching for a suitable bride over the last few years.

He approached a marriage mediator Chandran from Erode, who introduced him to women matchmakers Ambika, 38 from Tirupur and Valliammal, 45 from Ariyalur.

Police said Valliammal had informed him about a prospective bride from a poor family in her neighbourhood. Thereafter, Rajendran and his parents visited the house of the bride who identified herself as Reeza, 27 on 22 September to fix their marriage.

The bride was accompanied by her sister Thangam, 36 and aunt Devi, 55 on that day. As the family of the bride insisted to hold the marriage as quickly as possible, an unsuspecting Rajendran tied the knot on 24 September itself in a temple at Pachampalayam.

Soon after marriage, Ambika got Rs 1.3 lakh as broker commission. The next day after marriage, when Rajendran was away, the bride disappeared with all the jewels given by the bridegroom’s family.   

As efforts to reach out to his wife failed, Rajendran went to Ariyalur to check and was shocked to know that she was already married and had two children.

Based on a complaint, the Kunnathur police registered a case of cheating and arrested all the five women. Further inquiries are on to know if they were involved in similar frauds elsewhere.