Thane Police Arrest Two Men in Fake Matrimonial Fraud Racket

Thane Police have arrested two men for allegedly running a fraud racket on matrimonial platforms to cheat unmarried people.

The Arrests and Recoveries

The accused are 39-year-old Dinesh Babu Manekar from Mahape in Navi Mumbai and his alleged accomplice, 55-year-old Suresh alias Babu Tanaji Mhatre from Chikhali in Raigad district. Police arrested Manekar on October 9 and later caught Mhatre in Navi Mumbai. During the operation, officers seized ₹14.25 lakh in cash and 311 grams of gold ornaments. The total value of the seized items is about ₹24.24 lakh.

How the Fraud Worked

The accused created fake profiles on matrimonial sites to target unmarried women and men. They built trust with the victims by promising to marry them. After gaining their trust, they convinced the victims to hand over cash and gold jewellery before running away with the valuables. The case first came to light after a complaint at the Badlapur West police station under Sections 318(4) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Criminal Record and Cases

Police investigations have linked the pair to 19 solved cases across Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, and Thane. Seventeen of these cases involve both men, while two involve Manekar alone. These offences were registered at police stations including Badlapur West, Badlapur East, Ulhasnagar, Shivajinagar, Mulund, Panvel City, and Koparkhairane. Furthermore, police found that Manekar has a long criminal history with 29 serious offences like robbery, theft, cheating, and dacoity across Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Mira-Bhayandar, and Thane. The Ulhasnagar Crime Branch carried out the operation under the supervision of Thane Police Commissioner Ashutosh Dumbre.

Context

Matrimonial websites are widely used for matchmaking in India, but bad actors sometimes exploit these platforms to target people looking for partners. Police regularly advise users to verify profiles carefully and avoid sharing cash or valuables with strangers met online. Such criminal investigations often span multiple city jurisdictions as suspects move across different areas to commit similar offences.