Fake marriages: Bride gang busted after conning 13 men

In a bizarre case that left police stunned, a gang of con women was busted in the Indian city of Hardoi, Uttar Pradesh, for carrying out a series of fake marriages to loot unsuspecting grooms.

According to Indian media reports, the gang consisted of three women who posed as brides and married over 13 men under false pretences. Once the marriage was solemnised, they would flee with cash and jewellery given to them by their new husbands.

The scam came to light when a man named Neeraj Gupta filed a complaint alleging that a person named Pramod took him to the Hardoi Registrar’s Office under the pretext of marrying his "granddaughter" Puja. After the wedding, Neeraj handed over money and valuables to his new bride, who then disappeared along with Pramod.

Acting on the complaint, Hardoi police launched an investigation and successfully arrested the three women—Puja alias Sonam, Asha alias Guddi, and Sunita. Authorities also recovered jewellery and cash from their possession.

During questioning, it was revealed that the gang had been operating across Uttar Pradesh, targeting unmarried men with the promise of marriage, only to disappear with their belongings shortly after the wedding.