Kollam man arrested in Wayanad for cheating divorcee, siphoning ₹46,000

Wayanad: Pulppally police in Wayanad district on Sunday arrested a man  accused of siphoning off money from a divorced woman after promising to marry her. The accused is D Akhil (38), a native of Madathara under the Chithara police station limits in Kollam.

According to police, Akhil allegedly targeted divorcees for financial gain and unleashed violence against the women who fell into his trap and their family members if they resisted his demands.

Police nabbed him after receiving a complaint from a widow. According to the complaint, the woman’s daughter, a divorcee, had eloped with Akhil along with her six-year-old daughter a few days earlier. He had allegedly siphoned off ₹46,000 from her on the false promise of marriage.

The complainant’s daughter realised the man’s true intentions only after her family filed a missing persons complaint with the police. The accused reportedly took the woman to Hubballi in Karnataka. When police began the investigation, the man went into hiding, and the woman and her daughter returned home.

The accused later allegedly broke into her house, demanding more money and again went absconding.

Police said Akhil, a habitual offender, has been booked in several cases, including domestic violence, financial fraud and cheating in various parts of the state, including Manjeri, Pallikkal, Nagaroor, Venjaramoodu, Thiruvalla, Ambalappuzha, Piravom and Kadakkal.

Inspector KV  Mahesh told Onmanorama that police have so far tracked eight cases of cheating against the accused. The cases include financial fraud, cheating women and attempts to deceive them with false marriage promises, he said.

In most cases involving false marriage promises, women are reluctant to file complaints due to fear of social stigma, the officer pointed out.

The accused was produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Sulthan Bathery and remanded to 14 days' judicial custody.

A team led by Pulppally Station House Officer Mahesh nabbed the accused from his hideout. Sub-Inspector Jithin Kumar, Additional Sub-Inspector AS Latha, and Civil Police Officers Ajayan, Aseez, Nishad and Savitha were also part of the team.