india

Updated: Dec 18, 2016 12:59 IST

The Noida and Kerala police in a joint raid arrested three persons from a housing society in the city that blew the lid off a racket that involved one of the accused allegedly marrying 11 men and then duping them.

Con bride Megha Bhargav, 26, a resident of Amrapali Zodiac at Sector 120, was arrested along with her sister Prachi Bhargav, 28 and brother-in-law Devendra Sharma, 30, in the joint raid Saturday. Police said the case came to light after Kochi resident Loren Justin filed a complaint at the local police station against his wife who decamped with jewellery worth Rs 15 lakh few days after their marriage.

“The Kerala police sought help in arrest of a woman. Our team traced her to Sector 120 and they were nabbed in a joint raid,” said Dinesh Yadav, superintendent of police, Noida.

Police said the accused had allegedly married at least 11 men in Kerala over the past few years and decamped with their valuables after giving them tea or milk laced with sedatives.

After Loren’s complaint, the Kerala police formed a team to investigate the matter. They found three similar cases in which the bride fled from the husband’s house with all valuables merely 2-3 days after marriage. Police investigation revealed an organised gang of at least four people behind the incident.

The police found that while Megha posed as an eligible bride, her husband Mahendra who is still absconding searched a groom for her. They targeted rich men who are either divorced or somehow not getting married. Her sister Prachi and brother–in-law Devendra also helped her in getting married to such persons. After spending 3-4 days at the victim’s residence, Megha allegedly laced the food or drinks with sedatives and served them to all of the family members and ransacked the house before fleeing with the help of her family.

“The Kerala police took the accused in their custody for further investigation,” said Yadav.

Police said that Megha hails from Indore and had recently shifted her base to Noida with her sister and brother-in-law.

Residents of the society say the accused were hardly seen in the society.

“We have hardly seen them. Apart from some security guards, sanitation and maintenance workers, nobody in the society even recognize them,” said Archana Singh, a resident of Amrapali Zodiac.