Gr Noida: Gang involved in robbing men after fake marriages busted

Greater Noida police arrested a gang from Aligarh for duping men through fake marriages, after a teenager escaped their plot and reported them.

Greater Noida: An Aligarh-based gang of four was arrested on Thursday for allegedly duping men after organising fake marriages, police said, adding that the arrests came after they attempted to rope in a Greater Noida-based teenager to act as a bride for the fake marriages.

An Aligarh-based gang of four was arrested on Thursday for allegedly duping men after organising fake marriages. (Getty Images)

Police identified the suspects as Pradeep (goes by a single name), 32, a resident of Bulandshahr; Amir (goes by a single name), 25; Santosh (goes by a single name), 35; and Malti Singh, 50, all residents of Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh.

“On December 19, a missing person complaint for an 18-year-old woman was reported at the Surajpur police station. Following the complaint, a team was formed to look for her. But after a week on Wednesday, the woman approached the police and filed a complaint against Aligarh-based residents who tried to add her to their gang,” said Central Noida deputy commissioner of police, Shakti Mohan Avasthy.

“The woman revealed that due to a family issue she had left home and reached Aligarh, where she came in contact with Pradeep and his gang members. They offered her shelter and food. On the pretext of work, they asked her to play the role of a bride,” said DCP Avasthy, adding that after a week, when the girl feared that she would be a part of their crime, she managed to escape and approached the Greater Noida police.

Following a tip-off, police arrested the gang from Aligarh on Thursday. “During investigation, it was revealed that Pradeep has been operating the gang to dupe men who are looking for brides. Santosh used to play a mediator and arrange meetings between his accomplices and family members of the groom,” police officials said, adding that after completing the marriages with proper rituals, they used to send their partners, posing as brides, to their victim’s home and steal gold ornaments and cash.

“They have been running the gang since 2015, and several cases were registered against them in Aligarh and Bulandshahr police stations. Investigation is underway to find out how many men have fallen into their trap in the last 10 years,” the DCP said.

A case under sections 318(4) (cheating), 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) and 87 (kidnapping) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita has been registered at the Surajpura police station on Thursday and further investigation is underway.