A shocking fraud case has come to light from Dewas district of Madhya Pradesh, where 42 grooms reached a mass wedding venue fully prepared for their marriage, but no bride arrived. The grooms, dressed in sherwanis with marigold garlands around their necks and carrying boxes of sweets, waited throughout the night, hoping their wedding would take place. However, neither the brides nor the organisers turned up.
Police have arrested a couple linked to the fraud gang in this case. The court has sent both accused to a two-day police remand. Police teams are now searching for the main accused, Dineshdas Bairagi, along with four other people involved in the case.
Youth looking for marriage were targeted
According to the investigation, the gang mainly targeted unmarried young men who had crossed their marriage age and were finding it difficult to get married. The accused promised them marriages with girls from the “Matri Chaya Orphanage” in Indore.
For arranging the marriage, each groom was asked to pay a registration fee between ₹15,000 and ₹25,000. The case was registered after a complaint was filed by Abhishek Verma, a resident of Sehore.
Photos of models shown as brides
The fraud was planned very carefully. Victims told police that the organisers showed them photos of girls on mobile phones, but those pictures were actually of models taken from social media.
The gang also collected documents online and assured families that dowry items would also be provided during the wedding ceremony.
Grooms asked not to apply turmeric or henna
The organisers had instructed the grooms not to apply turmeric or henna at home and to come in normal clothes. They assured them that all wedding arrangements, including sherwanis and rituals, would be managed by them.
On May 24, a day before the wedding date, 42 grooms and more than 200 family members reached Dewas Club Ground in vehicles for the mass marriage event.
But by Sunday night, when neither the brides nor the organisers arrived, the families realised they had been cheated. The organisers had switched off their phones, after which chaos broke out at the venue, and the police reached the spot.
Police are questioning the arrested couple
BNP police station in-charge Preeti Katare said a case has been registered and the investigation is continuing. The arrested accused, Mukeshdas Bairagi and his wife are being questioned.
Since the accused are residents of Vidisha district, police teams have also been sent there for further investigation.
Police will now contact the operators of the orphanage whose name was used in the scam, as the fraud not only cheated people financially but also played with the emotions of 42 families.
