Man held for luring multiple women into marriage, duping them of valuables

The Palghar Police in Maharashtra have arrested a 43yearold man who allegedly lured multiple women into marriage and later duped them of their valuables an official said reported the PTIThe man allegedly married more than 20 women across the country and duped them of their valuables the official said on Sunday according to the PTIThe matter came to light after the MiraBhayandar Vasai Virar MBVV Police launched a probe into a complaint lodged by a Nalasoparabased woman and apprehended the accused who has been identified as Firoz Niaz Sheikh from Kalyan in Thane district of Maharashtra on July 23 an official said as per the PTIAccording to the complainant the accused befriended the woman complainant on a matrimonial website and married her senior inspector Vijaysingh Bhagal saidHe allegedly took cash a laptop and other valuables worth Rs 65 lakh from the woman in October and November 2023 he said adding that an FIR was registered under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal CodeThe police recovered a laptop mobile phones debit and credit cards cheque books and jewellery from the accused the official said the news agency reported on SundayThe investigation has revealed that the suspect reportedly targeted divorcees and widows on matrimonial sites married them and cheated them of their valuables he saidThe accused has cheated more than 20 women since 2015 in different parts of the country including Maharashtra Madhya Pradesh Uttar Pradesh Delhi and Gujarat the official saidMan duped of more than Rs 8 crore by Dubaibased businessmanMeanwhile in an another incident last week a 58yearold architect from Thane city in Maharashtra was allegedly cheated of more than Rs 8 crore by a Dubaibased businessman police had said on MondayAs per the PTI report an official from Naupada police station noted that the police on Saturday registered a case against the alleged accused Harish Chainani and others involved in the crimeAccording to the complaint the accused who imported luxury watches allegedly lured the victim to join his venture as he wanted to expand it to India and asked him to invest Rs 4 crore he said reported PTIAccording to the official in 202223 the victim allegedly gave the Dubaibased businessman 13 watches worth Rs 485 crore and a sum of Rs 4 crore for the businessLater the accused started giving him evasive replies and stopped taking his calls when the victim sought returns on his investment and proceeds from the sale of the watches he saidwith PTI inputs