Mumbai: Woman Duped of Rs 4.58 Lakh on Pretext of Marriage, Accused Flees with Gold and Cash

In a shocking case of matrimonial fraud, a 45-year-old woman from Goregaon East was allegedly duped of gold jewellery, cash and a mobile phone worth Rs 4.58 lakh by a man who promised to marry her. The accused, who befriended the victim through a matrimonial website, allegedly posed as a businessman before fleeing with valuables under the pretext of wedding shopping.

According to the complaint, the victim had created a profile on a matrimonial site around three months ago with the intention of getting married. She came in contact with the accused, identified as Jatin Chauhan, who claimed to be involved in the garment business in Delhi and Mumbai. He reportedly gained her trust by sharing details about his family and even arranged a phone conversation between the victim and his mother to make the proposal appear genuine. He also discussed marriage plans with the victim’s sister, further strengthening her confidence in him.

The two met in person on February 17, 2026. On February 19, the accused allegedly took the woman out on the pretext of wedding shopping and selecting a mangalsutra. He reportedly insisted that she bring her gold jewellery from home, claiming it needed polishing and that they would also make additional purchases.

Initially, the accused took her around Oberoi Mall and later to Crawford Market, where he purchased a shoulder bag. He then allegedly asked the victim to place all her gold jewellery — approximately 11 tolas including necklaces, bangles and earrings — along with Rs 10,000 in cash and her mobile phone inside the bag.

Subsequently, the accused took her to Nakshatra Mall in Dadar on the pretext of buying clothes. He allegedly asked her to try on garments in the trial room and fled with the bag while she was inside. When the victim came out, the accused was nowhere to be found. As her mobile phone was also inside the bag, she had no means to contact anyone.

After searching for him and realising she had been deceived in a pre-planned manner, the victim approached the police along with her family and lodged a complaint.

Vanrai Police Station has registered a case against the accused under sections related to cheating and criminal breach of trust. Police are examining the accused’s mobile number, matrimonial profile details and CCTV footage from the locations visited to trace him.

Further investigation is underway.