Gulshana Riaz Khan, a 21-year-old woman, is accused of marrying at least 12 men only to vanish within hours, taking with her jewellery, cash, and other valuables gifted during the weddings.
The pattern was strikingly consistent: a wedding would take place, the groom and his family brimming with hope. But before the celebrations could even settle, the bride would suddenly disappear, taking everything of value with her.
In reality, Gulshana is married to Riyaz Khan, a tailor from Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, who reportedly pockets a 5% cut from her gang’s earnings.
Her spree came to an end on Thursday when Ambedkar Nagar police arrested her and eight others from the gang near Kasadaha village.
During interrogation, Gulshana and her accomplices confessed to defrauding at least 12 families. Their modus operandi involved fake identities, fabricated documents, and manipulating families desperate to find matches for their sons. Once a “settlement amount” was secured, Gulshana would vanish without a trace.
Police have filed multiple charges against the group under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for cheating, criminal conspiracy, and forgery. Seized from the gang were ₹72,000 in cash, a motorcycle, a gold mangalsutra, 11 mobile phones, and three fake Aadhaar cards.
The gang, which consisted of five women and four men, included members from Haryana, Jaunpur, and Ambedkar Nagar. Each played a specific role, from posing as relatives to handling logistics. Among those arrested were Mohanlal (34), Ratan Kumar Saroj (32), Ranjan alias Ashu Gautam (22), Rahul Raj (30), Sanno alias Sunita (36), Poonam (33), Manju Mali (29), and Rukhsar (21).
