A matrimonial fraud case has come to light in Maharashtra’s Beed district, where a man allegedly lost ₹2.5 lakh after marrying a girl who was later found to be a minor. Police have launched an investigation into the suspected racket involving matchmakers and forged identity documents.
The complainant, a resident of Georai town, had approached intermediaries based in Jafrabad in neighbouring Jalna district to arrange his marriage. On June 22, his father shared the man’s photograph and biodata with the matchmakers over WhatsApp. The intermediaries subsequently sent a photograph of a prospective bride and arranged a meeting.
On October 1, the man and his parents travelled to Jafrabad, where the intermediaries demanded ₹2.5 lakh to finalise the alliance. The family agreed to the payment.
Four days later, the bride arrived in Georai with her entourage. The groom’s family transferred ₹50,000 digitally to two designated mobile numbers and paid the remaining ₹2 lakh in cash. The wedding was subsequently solemnised.
However, within 48 hours, the bride reportedly expressed a desire to return to her parental home. According to police, she later told the family that the marriage had been arranged to obtain money and gold ornaments. The intermediaries allegedly became unresponsive when the groom sought an explanation.
The matter was reported to the police, and the girl recorded her statement on October 19. Investigators found that her Aadhaar card had been forged to show her age as 20, although she was actually a minor.
The girl also alleged that she had been brought to Georai without being informed beforehand and was forcibly married. Police said she was produced before the Child Welfare Committee and shifted to a juvenile shelter home.
Georai Police Station Inspector Kishor Pawar confirmed that a complaint had been received and said the investigation into the alleged racket was underway.
