Man Posing as Doctor on Matrimony Site Dupes Woman of Rs 22.7 Lakh

A 40-year-old man was arrested for allegedly impersonating a doctor and a bank official on a matrimony website to dupe a woman and her family of over Rs 22 lakh on the pretext of marriage, police said on Thursday.

The accused was arrested in connection with a case registered at Pahal police station near Bhubaneswar, Police Commissioner S Dev Datta Singh said. The total amount cheated was Rs 22.70 lakh.

According to the complaint, the woman had created a profile on a matrimony website in 2021 and subsequently came in contact with a man who claimed to be a doctor. He reportedly told her that he was looking for a suitable bride for his brother and gradually gained the trust of the woman and her family.

Police said the accused later posed as a bank official and used various pretexts related to marriage arrangements and other formalities to extract money from the victim and her family over a period of time. An investigation is underway to ascertain whether the accused was involved in similar cases and to recover the cheated amount.