‘Loot-and-scoot bride’: Woman marries 25 men in 7 months, vanishes with valuables, held

Rajasthan Police have arrested a 23-year-old woman, Anuradha Paswan, who allegedly married 25 men across multiple states in just seven months – only to disappear with their money and valuables. Dubbed the ‘looting bride’ or ‘looteri Dulhan,’ Anuradha was apprehended in Bhopal by the Sawai Madhopar police after an undercover operation.

The scam came to light after a local man, Vishnu Sharma, filed a complaint in Sawai Madhopar. Sharma had paid Rs 2 lakh to broker Pappu Meena to arrange his marriage. Anuradha married him on April 20, but fled on May 2 with jewellery worth Rs 1.25 lakh, Rs 30,000 cash and a mobile phone costing Rs 30,000. Sharma reported the incident on May 3.

Based on the information shared by Vishnu, the Sawai Madhopar police launched an investigation that unravelled a fake marriage network.

According to investigating officer Meetha Lal, Anuradha previously worked at a hospital in Maharajganj, Uttar Pradesh, and reportedly separated from her husband after a domestic dispute. After moving to Bhopal, she became involved with a criminal gang that specialised in marriage scams, using digital platforms like WhatsApp to connect fake brides with innocent grooms.

Victims were charged between Rs 2 to Rs 5 lakh by these agents, who promised quick, trustworthy matches. In one such instance, after fleeing from Sharma’s home, Anuradha allegedly married another man named Gabbar in Bhopal, duping him of Rs 2 lakh as well.

Police eventually caught her by deploying an undercover officer as a fake groom. Once her photo was circulated by one of the agents, authorities acted swiftly and detained her. Several other gang members have also been identified, including Roshni, Raghubir, Golu, Majboot Singh Yadav and Arjan – all believed to be part of the same marriage scam ring operating out of Bhopal.

India