Serial Marriage Fraudster Arrested for Cheating Multiple Women Across India

A 32-year-old man has been arrested by Kavoor police for allegedly deceiving multiple women through matrimonial websites, marrying them under false pretenses, and subsequently defrauding them of significant sums of money.

Sushant Poojary, who operates under several aliases including Sushant Ankush Poojary and Sushant G Karkera, was taken into custody on February 5 following a complaint by his latest victim, a 27-year-old woman from the Kavoor police jurisdiction. Originally from Kallamundkur near Moodbidri, Poojary had been residing in Mumbai where he continued his alleged criminal activities.

According to police reports, the complainant met Poojary through a matrimonial website and married him on February 2, 2025, in Ghansoli, Navi Mumbai. The woman grew suspicious when Poojary suddenly disappeared on November 15 that same year. Her subsequent investigation revealed that Poojary had previously married another woman in Mangaluru in 2021, while she also discovered he had fraudulently withdrawn ₹6.6 lakh (approximately $8,000) from her bank accounts.

Following his arrest, investigators uncovered a more extensive pattern of deception. Poojary had reportedly married at least one other woman from Udupi and had attempted to defraud women from multiple cities including Udupi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru using the same methodology – approaching potential victims through matrimonial websites with promises of marriage.

The case highlights the growing concern around marriage fraud facilitated through online platforms in India. Matrimonial websites have become increasingly popular over the past decade, with millions of users seeking partners through these services. However, law enforcement agencies across the country have noted a corresponding rise in scams targeting vulnerable individuals seeking marriage partners.

“This type of predatory behavior exploits the trust people place in matrimonial services,” said a senior police official familiar with such cases. “The accused specifically targeted women who were actively looking for marriage partners and used their emotional vulnerability to his advantage.”

Police have also arrested an accomplice, identified only as Bhaskar from Mulki, who allegedly endorsed Poojary as his nephew to at least one victim, lending credibility to Poojary’s false identity. This additional layer of deception helped Poojary gain the trust of his victims before implementing his fraudulent schemes.

After his arrest, Poojary was produced before the jurisdictional magistrate and remanded to judicial custody. He has been charged with criminal breach of trust, cheating, and similar offenses under the Bharatiya Nayaya Samhita.

The investigation has also revealed that this is not Poojary’s first encounter with law enforcement. He reportedly faces multiple serious charges across different jurisdictions, including a case of raping a minor girl registered by Arnala police in Maharashtra’s Palghar district, a cheating case filed by Urva police in Mangaluru, and a theft case by Kota police in Udupi district.

Cyber security experts advise users of matrimonial websites to conduct thorough background checks before progressing to serious relationships, including verifying employment details, cross-checking personal information with multiple sources, and if possible, meeting the person’s family members and friends before making any financial commitments.

The police investigation continues as authorities suspect there may be additional victims who have not yet come forward. They have urged anyone who may have been deceived by Poojary to contact local law enforcement.