Mass marriage of hundreds of women without grooms: FIR against govt officials after major scam unearthed in UP Group Marriage Scheme

A scam related to Hindu marriages has come to the fore from the Baliya region of Uttar Pradesh where around 568 girls were reported married without grooms for money. As per the reports, the incident is said to have happened on 25th January, and the girls who pretended to be brides executed the marriage rituals alone, without their prospective husbands.

It is believed that the local administration had faked the event to gain the state money offered under the Chief Minister Group Marriage Scheme. Under the scheme, the state offers Rs 51,000 to every poor girl during her marriage. The organizers of the event gathered random girls and lured them to pose as brides for money. Some of the girls had arrived at the location for sightseeing, where they were offered the lucrative proposal. The girls performing marriage rituals alone were told that they would get a proportion of money for performing fake marriages.

The video of the incident is making rounds on social media. It was first posted by journalist Sachin Gupta on X. “On January 25, 568 couples got married under the Chief Minister Group Marriage Scheme. A large number of brides were garlanded without the groom. Many had been married many years ago. There were many brothers and sisters. All this happened just to pose as couples and get photographs taken and to share government money,” he said.

UP के जिला बलिया में बिना दूल्हों वाली शादी –

मुख्यमंत्री सामूहिक विवाह योजना से 25 जनवरी को 568 जोड़ों की शादी हुई। बड़ी संख्या में दूल्हे के बिना ही दुल्हनों को माला पहना दी गई। कइयों की शादी कई साल पहले हो चुकी थी। कई आपस में भाई-बहन थे। ये सब हुआ सिर्फ कपल्स बनकर फोटो… pic.twitter.com/UNkYDLwj0h

— Sachin Gupta (@SachinGuptaUP) January 31, 2024

In the video, the girls in bridal attire are seen garlanding themselves as per prompts given on the loudspeaker. A small number of men with garlands are also seen, but they didn’t marry the women actually.

According to the report, the girls who posed as brides included Muslim girls who also wore burqa, women who had been married for years, and also those who had come to the state as tourists.

An FIR in the case has been filed against 9 people including the ADO. An investigation committee has also been formed to look into the matter. The state seems to have taken cognizance of the event and has stopped the payment of monetary aid under the Chief Minister Group Marriage Scheme.