Gangtok, March 6 A 44-year-old man has been arrested in Sikkim for allegedly defrauding a woman by pretending to be interested in marriage, police said on Friday.
The woman, who lives in Khamdong in Gangtok's Singtam, filed a police complaint, stating that her engagement with the man took place on January 16 in the presence of both families.
She said that a wedding reception was planned for March 10, and invitations had already been distributed.
The woman alleged that on February 10, she gave the man Rs 2 lakh in cash after he promised to return the amount later.
Meanwhile, her family had already started wedding preparations and had spent around Rs 15 lakh on catering, clothing, accessories, invitation cards, and work related to setting up a pandal (temporary structure), police said.
However, on February 25, the groom 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 that the accused allegedly concealed the relationship and allowed the wedding preparations to continue, causing mental distress, humiliation, and financial loss to the complainant.
A case has been registered under various sections of the BNS and BNSS, and an investigation is underway, they said.
