A 39-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly duping 16 women out of nearly Rs8 lakh using fake profiles on various matrimonial websites. The accused, identified as Rahul Chaturvedi, posed as a prospective groom and used emotional manipulation to extort money from his victims.
According to police officials, Chaturvedi contacted his victims through matrimonial platforms, where he created a fake identity. He would initially build trust with the women by posing as a serious marriage prospect. To further manipulate his victims, he pretended to be dealing with his father’s critical health issues, which led him to request financial help for his father’s medical treatment.
One victim, a woman from Greater Noida, claimed that she was deceived out of Rs2.43 lakh in multiple transactions. The suspect even used her money to purchase personal items, including a pair of shoes worth Rs16,000. When she confronted him for the return of her money, Chaturvedi allegedly blocked her and threatened her with harm if she continued to demand reimbursement.
Further investigation revealed that the fraudster targeted well-established, independent women. Police learned that Chaturvedi had also conned other victims into purchasing high-end items like iPhones. Despite his fake persona, he was able to maintain these deceitful relationships for extended periods, creating a false image of a prospective groom.
Chaturvedi, originally from Lucknow, had been living in Greater Noida’s Radha Sky Garden Society. His professional background includes working as a regional manager and HR executive in companies across Gurugram and Bengaluru. His apparent success in the corporate world helped him blend into his role as a trustworthy suitor, making his deceit more convincing.
The case came to light when a 40-year-old woman filed a complaint on September 7, detailing how she had met Chaturvedi through a matrimonial website. After building rapport and visiting her home, he began asking for money under the pretext of his father’s medical expenses. When she demanded her money back, Chaturvedi cut all communication and made threats to intimidate her.
