A man was arrested for allegedly conning several middle-aged women across India by marrying them, and then exploiting them financially, police said.
The man, identified as Biranchi Narayan Nath of Chhendipada in Odisha's Angul district, targeted these women through a matrimonial website, they said.
He identified himself as a railway employee, an Income Tax inspector or a Customs officer on his different fake profiles. He targeted middle-aged women who were unmarried, divorced or widowed, police said.
Acquaintance on the website used to be followed by long conversations on the phone and then visits to the home of the victims, they said.
"He emotionally manipulated them by promising lifelong support for their children. He also promised many of his victims that he would get them jobs after marriage. He underwent marriage rituals with many women in temples, and later lived with them at their home but never took any of them to his own place," a police officer said.
He later extorted these women by threatening them to make public their private photos and videos, he said.
Cases were registered against him at various police stations in Odisha, besides Rajasthan, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi, police said.
He was arrested after a case was registered with the Cyber Crime Unit of Odisha CID-Crime Branch by a woman from Cuttack.
This woman had lost her husband in a road accident in 2022 and had two daughters. She met the accused after registering on the matrimonial website in October last year.
He allegedly extorted her of around Rs 5 lakh in cash and 32 grams of gold. She eventually discovered his other relationships, following which she filed the complaint.
A case was registered and an investigation is underway, police said.
