Uttar Pradesh : During a recent mass marriage event in Lakhimpur on March 5, a concerning incident unfolded, shedding light on yet another case of fraudulent activity surrounding the Chief Minister’s Mass Marriage Scheme in Uttar Pradesh, as disclosed by the authorities on Monday.

Preeti Yadav, the woman involved, was persuaded by intermediaries to marry her brother, Krishna, after the intended groom, Ramesh Yadav, failed to arrive at the venue on time. Strikingly, Preeti and Krishna were already married and had enrolled in the mass marriage scheme, entitling them to benefits amounting to ₹51,000.

Following the discovery of this deceitful act, authorities launched an investigation into the matter, leading to the filing of a case against the siblings. Additionally, a village development officer faced suspension due to negligence, and disciplinary measures are underway against the official responsible for verifying their documents prior to the event.

Under the provisions of the scheme, the couple is entitled to ₹51,000, with ₹35,000 deposited into the bride’s bank account, ₹10,000 allocated for gifts, and ₹6,000 designated for ceremony expenses.

This incident echoes a similar occurrence in Ballia back in January, where 240 ineligible individuals unlawfully enlisted for scheme benefits. Law enforcement authorities undertook extensive investigations, resulting in the arrest of 15 individuals, including government personnel.

To mitigate such fraudulent activities in the future, the Uttar Pradesh government announced plans to link Aadhaar details with those of newly-wed couples. Furthermore, the state Social Welfare Minister, Asim Arun, emphasized the issuance of marriage certificates on the spot during the program to prevent the recurrence of such fraudulent acts.

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