Rural police in Jalandhar, Punjab, apprehended a cunning fraudster with a distinctive modus operandi, focusing exclusively on deceiving young women and extorting money from them. The accused, posing as a Canadian citizen, created a profile on a marriage website, trapping girls from Chandigarh and Delhi in his web of deceit. Allegedly, the perpetrator has victimized nearly 50 women, exploiting them financially after establishing physical relationships. The police uncovered the fraud after a brave victim filed a complaint, leading to the arrest of Harpal Singh from Talwandi, Barnala district. The SHO of Goraya police station, Sukhdev Singh, revealed that the accused duped women by claiming to be a Canadian national and extorted INR 1.5 lakh. Singh, who never visited Canada, skillfully deceived educated women, including a bank assistant manager, nurse, immigration professional, and professor. Singh’s shrewd tactics have caused some victims to quit their jobs. The police disclosed that around five victims have come forward, with more expected. Harpal Singh, unemployed, owns a small shop in his father’s village and has two sisters. His possessions, including a car and two expensive Apple phones, were acquired with ill-gotten gains from duped girls. Singh, who manipulated his victims using a fake visa and forged Aadhar cards, faces divorce proceedings initiated by his wife after their marriage facilitated through a matrimonial website turned sour.
