In a strict crackdown on alleged mass marriage fraud, around 15 people, including two government officials, have been arrested in Uttar Pradesh for their alleged involvement in the fraudt. As per reports, it is believed that fake marriages were done to avail funds from the UP government’s mass marriage scheme.
The scam related to Hindu marriages came to the fore from the Baliya region of Uttar Pradesh where 568 girls were reported to have tied marital knots without grooms for money. As per the reports, the incident took place on 25th January, and the girls who pretended to be brides executed the marriage rituals alone, without their prospective husbands. The videos showing brides at a mass wedding event garlanding themselves had gone viral on social media. In the viral videos, some men could also be seen dressed as grooms and hiding their faces. An FIR in the case was filed against 9 people including the ADO.
UP के जिला बलिया में बिना दूल्हों वाली शादी –
— Sachin Gupta (@SachinGuptaUP) January 31, 2024
मुख्यमंत्री सामूहिक विवाह योजना से 25 जनवरी को 568 जोड़ों की शादी हुई। बड़ी संख्या में दूल्हे के बिना ही दुल्हनों को माला पहना दी गई। कइयों की शादी कई साल पहले हो चुकी थी। कई आपस में भाई-बहन थे। ये सब हुआ सिर्फ कपल्स बनकर फोटो… pic.twitter.com/UNkYDLwj0h
As per officials, 568 couples got married at the event. However, it was later found out that several persons were paid to pose as brides and grooms. As per the allegations made by local residents, both men and women were paid around ₹ 500 and ₹ 2,000 to pose as brides and grooms.
Vimal Kumar Pathak said, “Some Women had no one. They were wearing the varmala (garland) themselves. We came to know that people are being paid between ₹ 500 to ₹ 2,000.”
Speaking to NDTV, a 19-year-old man stated that he was offered money to pose as a groom. Raj Kumar said, “I went there to see the wedding. They made me sit there. They said that they will give me money. Many were being made to sit.”
BJP MLA Ketki Singh, who was the Chief Guest at the community wedding, stressed that she suspected wrongdoing there and a complete investigation is being conducted in this matter. She said, “They informed me just two days before the event. I had suspected there was something fishy. But now a complete investigation is being done.”
According to the UP government website, the government provides ₹ 51,000 under this scheme, of which ₹ 35,000 goes to the girl, ₹ 10,000 for purchasing wedding materials, and ₹ 6,000 for the event.
Officials asserted that the scam was busted before any money could be transferred to the accused. They said, “We immediately formed a three-member committee to investigate the matter and verify all the beneficiaries. Till the time the complete investigation is not done, no benefits will be transferred to beneficiaries.”
Earlier as well, the UP government had come down heavily on alleged fraud being pulled to siphon off money by exploiting the UP government’s mass marriage scheme. An investigation into irregularities in Kanya Vivaah Yojna in Ghaziabad busted 156 fake marriages.
