Aryanad police institute probe into marriage frauds

The Aryanad police have gathered more evidence against 30-year-old Ernakulam native Reshma, who was arrested on June 6, for allegedly duping at least ten men through marriage fraud over several years.

According to the police, the accused is believed to have started her string of deceptions back in 2014 while she was still a college student. Her first marriage was to a man from Ernakulam, with whom she lived until 2017.

Between 2017 and 2022, Reshma reportedly entered into four more marriages. She had a child in 2023 and went on to marry two more individuals in February and March of 2025. Although she had planned another marriage in April with a man from Thirumala, it did not take place due to an accident involving the groom.

Formal complaint

Reshma later became engaged to three more men, including Aryanad panchayat member C.J. Aneesh and two others from Thiruvananthapuram. One of them approached the Aryanad police, but initially refrained from filing a formal complaint. However, a case of marriage fraud was registered, based on a written complaint filed by Aneesh, the police said.

Official sources said that Reshma used online matrimonial sites to target potential victims. A woman, allegedly posing as her mother, would initially contact the men using phone numbers registered on these sites. She would then introduce them to Reshma, who would weave elaborate stories to gain their trust by claiming that she was adopted and abused, and that her mother was against her marriage.

Aroused suspicions

Aneesh was convinced by her stories and agreed to marry her. Reshma arrived in Vembayam on June 5 and was taken by the prospective bridegroom to stay at the home of his friend, a local panchayat member in Uzhamalakkal. On the day of the planned wedding, Reshma insisted on visiting a beauty parlour, but her actions aroused the suspicions of her host. A search of her bag apparently led to the discovery of documents confirming several previous marriages.

The victims of her alleged fraud are natives of Ernakulam, Thodupuzha, Kottayam, Kottarakara, Valakom, Vaikom, and Thiruvananthapuram, an official said.

Published - June 08, 2025 11:27 pm IST