Pune Man Detained for Cheating 25 Women Through Fake Marriage Scheme

Pune, 14th January 2025: Cybercrime is increasingly becoming a pressing issue in Pune, with a recent case highlighting the dangers of online fraud. Pune Police recently released statistics revealing a significant rise in financial fraud through cybercrime over the past year. Among the alarming incidents, one individual has reportedly cheated over 25 women through a fake marriage proposal scheme.
The accused, identified as Lakhoba Lokhande from Pune, was detained by Kolhapur Police after a complaint was filed by one of the victims. Operating under the alias Feroz Shaikh, Lokhande contacted women through a marriage matching website, promising them marriage while exploiting their trust. He gained the confidence of his victims by posing as an industrial contractor and even engaged in physical relationships with some of them.
One victim reported that Lokhande extorted ₹1,69,000 from her and stole jewellery worth ₹8,25,000. When discussions about marriage arose, he fabricated a story about suffering from a brain tumour to manipulate her further. After realizing she had been deceived, the victim approached the Kolhapur Rajwada police station to file her complaint.