In a significant crackdown, Varanasi police arrested Dayali Upaliya, a man from Telangana, accused of duping more than 25 women by impersonating an Army officer on matrimonial websites. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Saravanan Thangamani, the accused allegedly swindled victims out of Rs 40 lakh over a span of six years.
The arrest followed a complaint lodged by a woman from Chandoli district, who alleged that Upaliya had a romantic relationship with her and refused to provide marriage documents. This complaint triggered further investigations, exposing the scale of the fraud.
Police recovered several incriminating items during the arrest, including army uniforms, fake nameplates with names like ‘Major Amit’ and ‘Major Joseph’, and counterfeit IDs from various security agencies. Upaliya reportedly used these items to convince at least three women into marrying him under false pretenses, making the offense even more serious.
Authorities are continuing their investigations and have advised the public to be vigilant when interacting on matrimonial sites, especially when credentials cannot be independently verified.
