Man booked in Sikkim for allegedly cheating woman on pretext of marriage

A 44-year-old man has been booked in Sikkim for allegedly cheating a woman on the pretext of marriage, police said on March 6.

According to police, the complainant, a resident of Khamdong in Singtam under Gangtok, stated that her engagement with the accused took place on January 16 in the presence of both families.

The wedding reception had been scheduled for March 10 and invitation cards had already been distributed, she said.

The woman alleged that on February 10 she handed over Rs 2 lakh in cash to the man after he promised to return the amount later. Meanwhile, her family had already begun preparations for the wedding and reportedly spent around Rs 15 lakh on catering, clothing, accessories, invitation cards and hill-cutting work for setting up a pandal.

However, on February 25, the man was allegedly found staying in a hotel with another woman.

The complainant later learned from the woman’s family that the two had been in a relationship for a long time. Police said the accused allegedly concealed this relationship and allowed the wedding preparations to continue, causing mental distress, humiliation and financial loss to the complainant.

A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and an investigation is currently underway, police added.