Police in Gorakhpur have busted an organised gang accused of trapping men with false marriage proposals and extorting large amounts of money from them. A case under the Gangster Act has been registered against eight accused, including history-sheeter Ankur Singh. Investigators say the gang systematically targeted victims from other states by luring them to Gorakhpur with the promise of marriage before intimidating them through a fake police operation.
The case came to light after Mukesh Meena, a resident of Kota in Rajasthan, began searching for a bride for his brother. During the process, he came into contact with Raju Sharma, a resident of Faridabad, Haryana. Sharma allegedly sent photographs of three women from Gorakhpur, and one of them was selected for the proposed marriage.
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According to the plan, Mukesh Meena and his family travelled to Gorakhpur, where a fake wedding ceremony had been arranged at the residence of history-sheeter Ankur Singh. A woman identified as Shaila Devi, posing as the bride’s aunt, arrived with the young woman, and the wedding rituals, including the exchange of garlands, were completed, convincing the victim’s family that the marriage was genuine.
Soon after the ceremony, however, the situation took a dramatic turn. Investigators allege that Ankur Singh introduced himself as a police sub-inspector, while two of his associates posed as a constable and a Home Guard. Displaying fake police identity cards, they allegedly threatened the family with false criminal cases, created an atmosphere of fear, and held them hostage while demanding money.
Frightened by the threats, Mukesh Meena called his wife and asked her to arrange the payment. Once the gang received the money, all the accused fled the scene. During the investigation, police found that Shaila Devi was allegedly paid ₹20,000 for her role in the conspiracy, while the woman who acted as the bride received ₹15,000.
The victim initially lodged a Zero FIR, which was later transferred to Chiluatal Police Station in Gorakhpur. As the investigation progressed, police uncovered evidence of an organised criminal network and initiated proceedings against the accused under the Gangster Act.
The eight accused named in the case are history-sheeter Ankur Singh, Raju Sharma of Faridabad, Dhirendra Yadav alias Tuntun, Ravi Chaudhary, Munna Jaiswal, Navami Sharma, Shaila Devi, and Neelam Singh. Police said the specific role of each accused is being examined and efforts are underway to identify other members of the network.
During the operation, police recovered ₹1.66 lakh in cash and two fake police identity cards from the accused. Investigators are also examining financial transactions, digital evidence, and possible links to accomplices operating in other states.
According to the police, the gang had been targeting unsuspecting men through fake marriage arrangements for an extended period, using staged wedding ceremonies, impersonation of police personnel, and intimidation to extort money. Investigators are now trying to determine how many victims may have been cheated and whether the network extends beyond Uttar Pradesh into other parts of the country.
