- By Kamakshi Bishnoi
- Tue, 26 May 2026 03:52 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
- 42 grooms conned in Dewas fake mass marriage.
- Accused collected over Rs 10 lakh from families.
- Main organizers arrested, others absconding in scam.
What began as a dream wedding for dozens of families in Madhya Pradesh allegedly ended in humiliation, heartbreak and a police investigation after a suspected fake mass marriage racket surfaced in Dewas. Around 42 grooms reportedly arrived with their relatives for a community wedding ceremony, only to discover that no brides existed.
Police said the accused allegedly preyed on families whose sons were struggling to find suitable matches. Using photographs of women downloaded from social media, the group allegedly convinced families that brides had been arranged from an orphanage in Indore.
As per the reports, the accused, Mukesh Bairagi and his wife, Sunita Bairagi, posed as organisers of the mass wedding, assuring a wedding for around 42 grooms. During police questioning, Mukesh reportedly claimed that his elder brother, Dinesh Das Bairagi, who works in Indore, had informed him about arranging marriages for girls from an orphanage and had supplied contact numbers of the grooms’ families.
In Dewas MP, 42 grooms arrived for weddings, but not a single bride arrived. A case of fraud involving 25,000 rupees each has surfaced. Photos downloaded from Instagram were used to invite people to weddings, and they are referring to an orphanage in Indore. pic.twitter.com/xCP0BN2cMx
— Dharm (@dhram00) May 26, 2026
Mukesh allegedly told investigators that Dinesh assured him repeatedly over phone calls that the brides were on their way to Dewas. However, after several calls, Dinesh’s phone was reportedly switched off.
Police also suspect the involvement of Mukesh’s father-in-law, Narsingh Das Bairagi, who allegedly acted as a middleman between the accused and victims.
What Happened At The Mass Wedding?
According to the complainants, families of the grooms were reportedly asked by the accused to deposit amounts ranging from Rs 12,000 to Rs 25,000 for registration, wedding arrangements, and ceremony expenses. As per the police officials, the total amount of fraud may have exceeded Rs 10 lakh.
The wedding ceremony was scheduled for May 25 in Dewas. Families were allegedly told that they would first visit Mata Tekri on May 24 before staying at the Club Ground in Radhaganj, where the marriages would take place the next day.
But when the grooms and their relatives reached the venue, they found no wedding preparations, no mandap and no brides. Witnesses said families waited from morning till late at night while organisers kept claiming that the women from Indore were “on the way”. By around 10 pm, many realised they had allegedly been conned.
A case has been registered against Mukesh Bairagi, Sunita Bairagi, Dinesh Bairagi and Narsingh Das Bairagi under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to cheating. Mukesh and Sunita have been arrested, while teams have been sent to trace the two absconding accused.
Additional Superintendent of Police Jaiveer Bhadoria said police received information about the incident on the evening of May 24 and acted immediately after the victims approached authorities. “The prime accused, Mukesh and his wife have been arrested. We are gathering details about their modus operandi,” NDTV quoted Bhadoria.
Another police officer, Preeti Katare, said the individuals who allegedly collected money from families were missing from the venue when the victims arrived. Statements from affected families are now being recorded as part of the probe.