PIONEER NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
Police arrested a woman in Rudrapur, Udham Singh Nagar district for allegedly posing as a bride to scam men out of large sums of money in Uttarakhand and the neighbouring State. At least 15 FIRs are reportedly registered against her in several districts of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. Identified as Heena Rawat, the accused used false identities to trap grooms in fake relationships, extract money through emotional manipulation and threaten them with legal consequences, the senior superintendent of police of Udham Singh Nagar, Manikant Mishra said. He informed that as per the woman’s statement, she was planning to flee the country after collecting Rs 30 lakh from her latest target when police apprehended her.
The arrest took place in the wee hours of Saturday near Uday Hotel in Rudrapur, following a complaint by Rudrapur resident Deepak Kakkar on June 6. Kakkar alleged that the woman introduced herself as Ankita Sharma who claimed to be a High Court advocate and established contact through WhatsApp. Over time, she reportedly convinced him of her intent to marry, took Rs five lakh and began living in his home under the pretense of marriage. Mishra said that once inside his home, she allegedly began pressurising Kakkar for an additional Rs 30 lakh and threatened either to murder him or commit suicide and falsely implicate him and his family in criminal cases.
Kakkar told the police that suspecting her intentions, he investigated and discovered her real identity as Heena Rawat, daughter of Balwant Singh from Kharmasa, Kundeshwari, under the jurisdiction of Kashipur police station in Udham Singh Nagar district. Mishra said that the police registered an FIR against the woman. A police team then arrested Rawat and recovered Rs 50,000 in cash and a fake Aadhaar card from her possession.
The SSP said that the police interrogation revealed that the woman has a criminal history with over 15 FIRs filed against her in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. She used various aliases such as Ankita and Nikita and utilised multiple mobile numbers to avoid detection. She admitted to posing as a businesswoman, brand ambassador, contractor and advocate in order to win trust and collect money from her targets. He said that Rawat targeted men through matrimonial sites and social media, posed as a single woman and later blackmailed them with threats of false rape or dowry cases. Many victims reportedly stayed silent due to fear of social stigma.
Mishra said that the investigation is ongoing and the police are working to identify other potential victims and individuals involved. Mishra also urged the public to stay cautious of such scams and report any suspicious activity immediately to the police.
