Groomed for Deceit: Bride Arrested in Elaborate Marriage Hoax

Tumakuru: A 35-year-old woman, who vanished just three days after marrying the son of an agriculturist, has been arrested along with three accomplices for allegedly defrauding the groom’s family of Rs 2.5 lakh. The Gubbi police in Tumakuru district have been flooded with reports from residents in Karnataka and Maharashtra, claiming they too were victims of similar marriage scams.

The suspects have been identified as Lakshmi Balasaheb Janakara, also known as Komala, from Kolhapur, Maharashtra, and the marriage broker, B. Lakshmi. The other two arrested accomplices are Siddappa, 45, and his associate, Lakshmi Shambhulinga Kubusada, from Hubballi. Authorities are still searching for another man, Vijay, who impersonated Komala’s brother during the fraudulent schemes.

The case came to light after Palakshaiah, an agriculturist, filed a complaint with the Gubbi police in November 2023. He accused Komala and her associates of deceiving his family after his son, Dayananda, married Komala in October 2023. The marriage was arranged through the broker, Lakshmi, who presented Komala as an orphan. To finalize the arrangement, Komala, accompanied by Siddappa and Lakshmi Shambhulinga, who posed as her maternal uncle and aunt, visited Palakshaiah in August 2023. The family paid around Rs 2.5 lakh to the broker, covering wedding expenses, including a sari, ornaments, and a gold mangalsutra and earrings weighing 16 grams.

Shortly after the wedding, Komala left for Hubballi, citing a customary visit to her parental home just three days after the marriage. When she became unreachable, with her phone switched off, Palakshaiah grew concerned and traveled to Hubballi to locate her. He found that the broker, Lakshmi, claimed ignorance of Komala’s whereabouts, and Siddappa’s house had been vacated. It was then that Palakshaiah realized they had fallen victim to a sophisticated scam.

The Gubbi police quickly formed a special team to track down the gang, which had gone into hiding in northern Karnataka and Maharashtra. They recently traced Komala to a residence in Miraj, Maharashtra, where it was discovered that just four days earlier, she had married another man using the same fraudulent tactic. In this instance, the gang once again deceived the groom’s family, taking Rs 2.5 lakh in cash and gold ornaments.

According to DSP BK Shekhar, Komala has two children and has been estranged from her husband, Janakar. Her 20-year-old son lives in Hubballi, while her 16-year-old daughter resides in Kolhapur. The current whereabouts of Komala’s husband remain unknown.

This arrest has led to further investigations, as many more victims have come forward, alleging they were similarly duped by this gang over the past three years. The police are continuing their efforts to bring all involved parties to justice.