Nagpur: After months of manhunt, the Crime Branch of Nagpur police arrested a woman who had extorted money from at least four men after marrying them and threatening to trap them in dowry harassment cases. The con woman committed the crime in connivance with her boyfriend. The woman targeted the wealthy men as her prey and then extorted money from them, police said.
The arrested accused are Bhavika Manwani alias Meghali Dilip Tijare (35) and her boyfriend Mayur Raju Motghare (27), both residents of Juni Mangalwari, Nagpur. The police produced the accused in the court and obtained their two-day custody.
According to police, the accused Meghali is a native of Wardha district. Meghali was first married in 2003 and then again in 2013, 2016 and 2021. After getting married to a man, she was registering fake police complaints and extorting money. The fraud came to fore following complaints that she married at least four men after marrying the complainant — Mahendra Rameshlal Wanwani (32), a resident of Quarter No. 66, Hudco Colony Building 5, Jaripatka.
Police further said that Wanwani owns a wholesale vegetable shop in Cotton Market. Meghali came in contact with Wanwani when she came to the shop. Soon after, the two started dating each other. In September last year, she came to Mahendra’s house and forced him for marriage. When he refused her demand, she threatened him to register a rape case against him. Mahendra and Meghali finally married on September 16, 2021. As Meghali used to fight with in-laws, the couple shifted to a rented house. In October last year, Meghali lodged a rape complaint against Mahendra. He got bail after spending 27 days in jail.
Meantime, she demanded Rs 4 lakh from him as extortion. She again lodged a rape complaint against him in April this year. Mahendra was released from the jail after two weeks. Later, Mahendra got information about Meghali’s three marriages before getting married with him. In all the three cases, she had registered cases against husbands and in-laws, police said.
On the basis of a complaint lodged by Mahendra Wanwani, police booked Meghali and her boyfriend Mayur Motghare under Sections 386, 420, 494, 496 and 497 of the IPC and put them behind the bars.
