Madhya Pradesh: 42 grooms arrived with the wedding procession but brides were missing, case registered against four for fraud.

On the morning of Sunday 24th May, some youths were waiting for Haldi and other wedding rituals at the Mata Tekri temple of Dewas. Some had garlands of flowers around their necks, some had come with relatives and many had reached here in a wedding procession in rented cars.

He was told that he was going to get married in the next 24 hours.

It became night but neither the brides reached there nor anyone got married.

Police have registered a case against four people in this mass marriage fraud case that came to light from Dewas district of Madhya Pradesh. Two of these accused have been arrested.

Dewas Additional Superintendent of Police Jaiveer Singh Bhadauria said, “In this case, as part of a comprehensive planning, money was taken from many people on the pretext of marriage. Now we have arrested two people, the rest of the investigation is going on.”

According to the police, money was taken from many young men in the name of getting them married and they were given the assurance of getting them married to girls from an orphanage in Indore.

According to the police and the victims, this entire network worked in such a way that young people looking for marriage were first contacted. They were told that the girls living in an ashram in Indore were ready for marriage.

After this, money was taken from the youth in the name of registration and documents were also submitted online.

In this case also, photographs of the girls were sent to the grooms and their families on mobile phones. Later some victims claimed that these pictures were taken from social media.

Some complainants allege that the Chief Minister’s name was also taken to win trust.

A complainant, on the condition of anonymity, told BBC Hindi, “We were shown such dreams that if we have good girls, we will get married. They said that the Chief Minister himself will come and will also give a check of Rs 51,000.”

This marriage arranging gang had reached the complainant youth through a distant relative of his.

He said, “The name of the Chief Minister was taken, mass marriage was talked about and photographs of the girls were also shown. So we were convinced.”

According to this 22 year old youth, when he asked about meeting the girls before marriage, he was told that the girls were from an orphanage and hence it would not be possible to meet him first.

He said, “We were told that the boys and girls would be introduced on the 24th. They would be given full opportunity to negotiate and then the marriage would be conducted in a mass marriage conference on May 25.”

Some families were also assured that dowry would be given at the wedding.

Some people were told not to do rituals like turmeric and mehendi before marriage because the entire process would be done in Dewas only.

According to the complainant, he had reached Dewas with nine people in a wedding procession.

He said, “We were called to Mata Tekri temple. We were told to reach at 8 am on the 24th.”

According to him, including him there were at least 42 grooms present there.

He said, “Most of them were around 40 years of age. There were some 60-year-old grooms too. That’s when we got a little suspicious.”

Vikas Meena came from Harniakalan village of Dewas. He was also called here with the promise of getting married. Vikas had given 25 thousand rupees for this marriage.

He said, “Money was taken from us in the name of registration. It was said that girls from an orphanage in Indore would be married. When photos were asked for, photos of the girls were sent on mobile. Later it was found that they were taken from social media.”

According to Vikas, the organizers had informed him about reaching Dewas on 24th May and the mass marriage would take place the next day.

People got so trapped in this marriage affair that they reached Dewas, 150 kilometers away from the capital Bhopal. One such groom, Omprakash Prajapati, told that he had liked the bride from the pictures sent on his mobile.

He said, “We were told that the marriage would take place at Mata Tekri in Dewas. We had reached here with the family.”

Omprakash told that 12 thousand rupees were taken from him. He said, “We were told to come in plain clothes. The groom’s clothes and other rituals would take place here. We were even told not to apply turmeric and mehendi beforehand.”

According to the families, when they reached the venue around 8 am on Sunday morning, they found Mukesh Bairagi and his wife Sunita, who were handling the event.

Mukesh Bairagi and Sunita had directly talked to many of these grooms and their families. These same people had taken money for registration and also for the marriage.

On Sunday morning, Mukesh and Sunita kept telling the families that the brides had left from Indore and would reach shortly.

According to the victims, different excuses were made throughout the day. At some times it was said that vehicles were on the way and at other times it was said that other people were about to arrive.

But no one arrived till night. After this the people present there started creating ruckus and the police was informed.

A woman named Rajkumari, who had come there for her brother Rohit’s marriage, says, “We had submitted the documents online. After reaching there, we were told that some madam was going to come. But till 12 o’clock in the night no one came.”

However, on Sunday evening, when the grooms and their families started creating ruckus, fearing fraud, Mukesh said that he too had been cheated in this whole matter.

Mukesh said, “Our elder brother is Dinesh Bairagi. He told us that we have to get the girls of the orphanage married. So we met everyone and took money. Whatever money came to me, I used to send it to him. I too have been cheated.”

The princess said, “Our name has been tarnished in the society due to this incident. People are even laughing.”

Dewas Additional Superintendent of Police Jaiveer Singh Bhadauria told reporters, “We had received information that some people had gathered in the name of organizing a marriage and there was a possibility of fraud. The police reached the spot and talked to the people there. On the basis of their complaint, a case has been registered under relevant sections including fraud.”

Police say that a case has been registered against Mukesh Bairagi, Sunita Bairagi, Dinesh Bairagi and one other person.

Additional Superintendent of Police said, “Preliminary investigation has revealed that money was taken from people by luring them for marriage. They were called by showing photographs and assuring them. The main accused Mukesh has been arrested and the search is on for the other accused.”

He said, “Mukesh has till now told that his elder brother Dinesh Bairagi was doing everything. He said that Dinesh Bairagi had provided the phone numbers of the people from the groom’s side and he was involved in the coordination of the entire program.”

The 22-year-old complainant, like other grooms, has returned to his home after the incident. He says, “I have folded my hands and requested those who had information not to reveal this matter. If it comes to light, then life ahead will be difficult for me.”

He further says, “However, I will not leave these people like this. I have filed a complaint and will fight a legal battle to ensure that they are punished.”

Published by Collective Newsroom for the BBC.