Matrimonial fraud: Man who duped Ludhiana woman of ₹20 lakh held

Posing as a prospective match, the man had taken the money from her, claiming that he was detained at the Delhi airport for carrying 200,000 British Pounds and needed to pay fine

A Delhi resident, who allegedly duped a city-based woman of ₹20.37 lakh after approaching her through a matrimonial website, has landed in police net.

A point of sale machine was recovered from the accused, identified as Surinder Kumar Chopra, of Tilak Nagar, Delhi. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Police said the accused, Surinder Kumar Chopra, of Tilak Nagar, Delhi, had introduced himself as Pradeep Anand to the complainant, a resident of Sant Fateh Singh Nagar, Dugri Road.

According to the 33-year-old woman, Chopra had claimed to be a businessman living in Birmingham, UK, and had expressed interest in marrying her. However, on reaching India in December last year, he, along with his accomplices, contacted her, claiming he had been detained at the Delhi airport for carrying 200,000 British Pounds.

Chopra also spoke to her and urged her to deposit ₹20.37 lakh in some bank accounts as fine, so that he could be allowed leave the airport, while promising to return the money soon.

However, after receiving the money, he severed contact with her.

Having received a complaint on February 19, the Model Town police initiated a probe and nabbed the accused in Delhi on Saturday. A point of sale machine was recovered from him. Police suspect he may be involved in several such cases.

The accused has been booked under Sections 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code. A hunt is on for his accomplices.