Fake marriage falls apart over booty sharing

For a 25-year-old woman who was looking to make quick money, everything went according to plan except for last-minute betrayal by her own friend, which forced her to revolt.

After all, it was a fake marriage with the intention of extracting money from the groom. The bizarre incident happened in UP’s Etawah district.

According to reports, the girl, a resident of Agra, who earlier had duped two other ‘grooms’, sought the help of her friend, a resident of Etawah district, to arrange a third groom for her and in exchange offered to share the money. The friend readily agreed. She spoke to a ‘desirous’ groom, a resident of Nauni village in the district. The groom was asked to pay Rs 40,000 to the ‘bride’ to meet expenses as the bride was poor. 

The girl was to get Rs 18,000 and the rest was to be pocketed by her friend. The plan was that after spending a day or two with her ‘husband’ she would leave him.

The money was paid to her friend and she also tied the nuptial knot a few days ago. She had been promised that her cut would be given after the marriage was solemnised.

Much to her shock, her friend kept Rs 24,000 and she was paid Rs 2,000 less. Angry, the girl declined to go with her husband. The man, however, was adamant on taking her home saying he had paid for the marriage. The matter came to light when she approached police and said she was tortured by her husband. 

The ‘husband’ denied the allegation and told police about the circumstances leading to the marriage. Her friend, who was then summoned by police, told everything, taking police by surprise.

Police said they were making efforts to resolve the matter amicably. Earlier too, cases of women solemnising fake marriages and later fleeing with cash and jewellery have been reported from the state.