Man duped with sham marriage in Gujarat

AHMEDABAD: A resident of Jantral village in Mehsana, Alpesh Soni, 38, has in his complaint lodged at Gomtipur police on Tuesday stated that he had been cheated of Rs 3 lakh by the accused, who married him to a girl who was already married. He stated in the FIR that the girl was married to another person even after she was married to Soni.
Soni stated that he was staying with his father after his mother passed away. He was unmarried, and his father asked Mukesh Agarwal to find a suitable match for his son. Mukesh introduced him to one Laxmi Sindhi who informed the family that she knew of a prospective bride who is from a poor family. Soni stated he was introduced to the bride-to-be, Sonal Panchal, and both the families visited each other’s homes. Sonal came to Alpesh’s house and Alpesh with his relative went to Sonal’s house near Dastan farm in Naroda area.
Later the marriage was fixed and Alpesh was called on May 14 to the office of an advocate in Gomtipur area and after preparing the marriage documents a priest, Dashrath Arya, married Alpesh and Sonal according to Hindu rituals, stated the complainant. He said that Rs 2.5 lakh was paid in cash to one Lalita Panchal who was identified as relative of Sonal and another Rs 50,000 was paid through electronic transaction to Laxmi.
Soni said that Sonal came to his residence and after eight days Lalita arrived and took Sonal away for religious rituals. He stated that he was called to take back Sonal after four days, but she never returned, and when he inquired at her residence he found she was missing and the house was locked.
Later, he was contacted by one Rajnikanth Sukhadiya of Randheja and he informed Soni that Sonal had married his son before marrying Soni.
Soni stated that later he learned that after his marriage Sonal had married another Prakash Rana who stays in Nava Vadaj. Gomtipur police have registered a complaint of cheating against Sonal Panchal, Lalita Panchal, Mahesh Panchal, Laxmi Sindhi, Vijay (complete name not mentioned), Dashrath Arya and Shailesh Solanki in the case.