Gurgoan: When 30-year-old Sanjay, a farmer from Sonipat, arrived at the Kharkhoda bus stand on December 27, he was under the impression that he would be a married man by the end of the day. Back home, his family had welcomed the guests and made all preparations for his wedding.
The only person who was left to arrive was the bride herself — a woman neither Sanjay nor his family had ever met. Sanjay had paid another woman, who had introduced herself as Anita, a resident of Narela — a sum of Rs 50,000.
It was only while waiting at the bus stop that Sanjay stumbled upon the truth while conversing with “seven-eight men” standing near him, who also claimed to be waiting for the same woman, having paid her an equal amount to find a bride for them.
Instead of spending the evening completing wedding rituals, Sanjay and 35 others found themselves at the police station, registering a case against the woman. “I was introduced to Anita through two neighbors. They told me to speak to their acquaintance, Anita, who worked in an orphanage in Delhi, and arranged people’s marriages,” said Sanjay.
The men, on December 28, arrived at Kharkhoda police station again, along with the two women who introduced them to the main accused. They, however, claimed to be equally clueless about her whereabouts. Wazir Singh, SHO, Kharkhoda police station, said, “We have registered a case under IPC sections 120, 406 and 420 and are questioning them. We expect to nab the main accused soon.”
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