Vadodara: A woman accused of posing as a bride in a marriage fraud racket and cheating a man out of Rs 2.7 lakh has been arrested after evading police for months, officials said on Saturday.The Mahisagar Special Operations Group (SOG) arrested two absconding women wanted in connection with a cheating case registered at Lunawada Town police station, providing a significant breakthrough in the investigation.The arrests were made as part of a special drive launched by Panchmahal-Godhra Range deputy inspector general of police Vidhi Chaudhary and Mahisagar superintendent of police Safin Hasan to trace and apprehend absconding accused.Acting on technical surveillance and intelligence inputs, the SOG received information that one of the accused, Surekha alias Rekha Yadav, was hiding in the Zafarabad area of Godhra. A team led by PSI H.B. Sisodiya conducted a raid and arrested her.The investigation subsequently led police to Kokila Parmar, who is alleged to have posed as the bride in the fraudulent marriage. She was traced to Kanjoda village in Kheda district’s Nadiad taluka and arrested from behind the Ambemata temple in the village.According to police, the accused were part of a racket that allegedly targeted men through sham marriages. In the present case, the victim was allegedly lured into a marriage arrangement and made to pay Rs 2.7 lakh. Soon after the wedding ceremony, the accused allegedly disappeared, prompting the victim to approach the police.A case under Sections 318(4) and 54 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was registered at Lunawada Town police station earlier this year.Investigators said five accused had already been arrested during the course of the probe, while the two women managed to remain on the run. Their arrest is expected to help police uncover the full extent of the alleged network and determine whether other victims were similarly duped.Both women have been handed over to Lunawada Town police for further legal proceedings.
