42 Grooms Arrive for Wedding, No Brides Show Up: Madhya Pradesh ‘Mass Marriage’ Scam Exposed
In a bizarre marriage scam in Madhya Pradesh, 42 grooms arrived in Dewas for a mass wedding only to discover there were no brides. Families allegedly paid INR 12,000 to INR 20,000 after being promised marriages with girls from an Indore orphanage. Police have arrested three accused and launched a wider probe.
What was meant to be the happiest day of their lives turned into a shocking nightmare for 42 grooms in Madhya Pradesh’s Dewas after they allegedly became victims of a bizarre fake marriage scam. Families from Bhopal, Dewas and nearby districts arrived at a mass wedding venue near Mata Tekri on Sunday, believing brides from an Indore orphanage would marry them. Instead, they found no brides, no rituals and no ceremony.
According to police, the accused allegedly collected between INR 12,000 and INR 20,000 from each groom’s family by promising arranged marriages with girls from Indore’s Matru Chhaya Ashram. Photos of prospective brides were reportedly shared on WhatsApp, but investigators later found the images had been lifted from social media. Bareilly: Wedding Called Off After Bride Alleges Dowry Demand, Groom Blames Body-Shaming (Watch Videos).
Several grooms claimed organisers instructed them not to arrange wedding clothes, haldi or mehendi, assuring them everything would be managed at the venue. Families waited for hours as organisers repeatedly claimed the brides were “on the way from Indore”. Condoms, Birth Control Pills for Newlywed Couples in Madhya Pradesh! Contraceptives Found Inside Make-Up Boxes Distributed to Brides at Mass Wedding in Jhabua (Watch Videos).
By late night, angry relatives approached police after realising they may have been duped. Dewas police registered a case against Mukesh Bairagi, Sunita Bairagi, Dinesh Bairagi and Narsingh Das Bairagi. Three accused have been arrested, while teams are searching for the remaining suspects.
Police said at least 13 victims were cheated of nearly INR 1.76 lakh, though more complaints are expected as the investigation continues.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 28, 2026 04:23 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
