Tumakuru, Karnataka: A 35-year-old woman, along with her associates and a marriage broker, has been arrested in Tumakuru for defrauding a groom’s family of Rs 2.5 lakh. The incident involved a staged marriage where the woman vanished three days after the wedding.
The accused include Lakshmi Balasaheb Janakara (also known as Komala) and marriage broker B Lakshmi from Kolhapur, Maharashtra, along with Siddappa and Lakshmi Shambhulinga Kubusada from Hubballi. Police are still searching for another suspect, Vijay, who posed as Komala’s brother.
The fraud came to light when agriculturist Palakshaiah reported the scam to Gubbi police in November 2023. Komala and her associates had convinced Palakshaiah to pay Rs 2.5 lakh for various marriage-related expenses and gold ornaments. After the marriage in October 2023, Komala left for Hubballi under the pretext of a customary visit, only to disappear and become untraceable.
Further investigation revealed that the gang had executed similar scams in the past three years. The police discovered Komala recently married again in Miraj, Maharashtra, using a similar fraudulent approach.
Palakshaiah’s complaint led to the formation of a special team to apprehend the gang, which had taken refuge in north Karnataka and Maharashtra. The gang’s activities have prompted numerous calls from other victims in Karnataka and Maharashtra reporting similar scams.
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