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Couple held for duping men in the name of foreign bride
Police said that the accused used to give a matrimonial advertisement in newspapers claiming to be relatives of a woman hailing from foreign country. Before the supposed first meeting with the groom, they asked for online money transfer claiming to be trapped in emergencies like accidents or a robbery etc.
Police have arrested a couple for duping over 50 young men, wanting to marry a foreigner, by posing as relatives of such a prospective bride. The racket had been running for five years.
Dirba DSP Mohit Agarwal said that the accused used to give a matrimonial advertisement in newspapers claiming themselves to be relatives of a woman hailing from foreign country. “To the families of the men who contacted them, they appeared as genuine. However, as the date of the first meeting approached they asked the men or his family to transfer them money online. They claimed to be struck in a problem or having been involved in a car accident etc,” the DSP added.
The accused are Harbans Lal, 45, and Gurmeet Kaur, 42, hailing from Barnala, but currently living in Mohali and were arrested from Malerkotla bypass Dhuri on Wednesday
Police say 18 mobile phones, 17 SIMs, a diary with details of the payment they got and a KUV Mahindra 100 have been recovered from the accused.
“There was no bride. However, they gave advertisements and spoke over the phone. The mobile SIMs and bank accounts were registered in the name migrant labourers, whom they helped get small loans from banks etc,” the DSP added.
The police had received two complaints and a case is already registered against them under Sections 420 (cheating) of the IPC and 66 (D) (Cheating by personation by using computer resource) of the IT Act at Sandhaur police station on January 14. Another case will be registered.
