Rajasthan Police have arrested eight members of an alleged interstate “Looteri Dulhan” (Robber Bride) gang accused of defrauding unmarried and elderly men through fake marriages across Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar. Investigators allege that the group arranged sham temple weddings, collected between ₹1 lakh and ₹2 lakh from prospective grooms, and then fled with cash, jewellery and other valuables within one or two days of the marriage.
According to police, the operation came to light following complaints lodged by two victims in Kota district. Authorities said brokers associated with the gang first approached prospective grooms by showing photographs of women and promising marriage. Women allegedly brought from Jharkhand were then introduced as prospective brides, and marriage ceremonies were conducted at local temples.
Investigators allege that the women were already legally married and had no intention of living with the victims. Shortly after the wedding, they allegedly claimed that one of their parents had fallen seriously ill and left the matrimonial home, taking cash, jewellery and other valuables before disappearing.
The investigation began after Dinesh Kumar, a resident of Sandpura, filed a complaint on July 13, alleging that he had been cheated through a fraudulent marriage arrangement. A second complaint was lodged by Dilip Singh of Hiriyakhedi on July 16, who reported a similar incident. Acting on the complaints, police formed a special investigation team, laid a trap and arrested eight alleged members of the network.
During the investigation, police uncovered several other suspected cases linked to the gang. Investigators allege that Pooja obtained ₹1 lakh from Suresh Patidar of Madhya Pradesh, Anjali allegedly cheated Deepak Meena of Jhalawar of ₹1 lakh, Shivani allegedly took ₹1.10 lakh from Tinku Singh of Asnawar, Pinki allegedly collected ₹1.50 lakh from Satyanarayan of Aklera, while Sunita Mukherjee is accused of taking ₹1.10 lakh from Dhanraj, a resident of Bundi district.
Police believe the gang may have operated in several districts across multiple states using a similar modus operandi. Investigators are examining whether additional victims were targeted through fake marriage arrangements facilitated by brokers and intermediaries. Financial transactions, communication records and the movement of the accused are also being analysed to identify the full extent of the network.
Authorities said the arrested suspects are being questioned to determine whether more individuals were involved in recruiting women, arranging fraudulent marriages and handling the proceeds of the alleged fraud. Further arrests have not been ruled out as the investigation progresses.
Experts associated with the Future Crime Research Foundation (FCRF) say fraudulent marriage rackets often rely on organised networks involving recruiters, brokers, forged identities and coordinated financial transactions. They note that verifying the identity, marital status and background of prospective spouses, along with conducting proper legal and document verification before marriage, can significantly reduce the risk of such organised frauds. They also recommend stronger inter-state information sharing and financial investigations to dismantle similar criminal networks operating across multiple jurisdictions.
