Ludhiana: NRI booked for bigamy, rape

The accused has been identified as Bhishan Ratti, who hails from Bassian Kalan village of Hoshiarpur and is settled in Calgary of Canada.

An NRI has been booked for allegedly solemnising marriage with a Seelon Kalan woman without divorcing his first wife. He also allegedly raped the Seelon Kalan woman and duped her of ₹24 lakh on the pretext of taking her to Canada.

A month after marriage, the NRI flew back to Canada alone. He then stopped taking the complainant’s calls. (HT File)

The accused has been identified as Bhishan Ratti, who hails from Bassian Kalan village of Hoshiarpur and is settled in Calgary of Canada. Police have also booked his relatives -- Ashok Kumar of Chhapar, his wife Soni and Amrik Jaisawal for conspiracy.

The woman, 31, told the police that she had come in contact with the accused through a marriage bureau. They got married in September 2017 and he promised to take her to Canada. A month after marriage, the accused flew back to Canada alone. He then stopped taking her calls.

The woman later found out that the accused had married her without divorcing his first wife, who stays with him in Canada. The victim filed a police complaint in September 2021.

Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Subhash Chand, the investigating officer, said a case under Sections 376 (rape), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 494 (marrying again during lifetime of husband or wife) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against the accused at Dehlon police station after an investigation. The accused is yet to be arrested.