Bengaluru engineer cheated of Rs15.2 million in matrimonial scam

Dubai: A 29-year-old software engineer in Bengaluru was allegedly cheated of ₹15.2 million by a man she met on a matrimonial website, who posed as a wealthy businessman and promised marriage, NDTV reported.

The accused, Vijay Raj Gowda alias Vijeth B, allegedly ran a “matrimonial-cum-investment” scam with the help of his family, police said. A case of cheating, criminal conspiracy and intimidation has been registered against him, his wife and his father.

From marriage promise to money trap

In March 2024, Navya Shree, a Whitefield resident, met Vijay through Okkaliga Matrimony. He allegedly claimed to own VRG Enterprises and assets worth ₹7,150 million, including land, lorries and properties in prime Bengaluru localities. He also allegedly shared court documents linked to a 2019 Enforcement Directorate case to gain her trust.

After promising marriage, Vijay allegedly began borrowing small amounts, starting with ₹15,000, before persuading Shree to take loans and raise money from friends in the name of joint business ventures.

Family allegedly helped build credibility

Vijay later introduced his family, including a woman presented as his sister, and issued cheques as repayment “assurance”, according to the FIR. Based on these claims, Shree’s friends allegedly invested ₹6.6 million and ₹2.3 million.

When repayment was demanded, Vijay allegedly claimed his accounts were frozen due to court cases and used the same explanation to convince Shree’s parents to part with more money.

Between December 2024 and February 2025:

• Her father allegedly gave ₹1.05 million

• Her mother gave ₹1.8 million, including retirement savings

• ₹1 million was raised against Shree’s jewellery

• ₹0.5 million came from her siblings

‘Sister’ was actually his wife

The scam unravelled when Shree visited Vijay’s home to demand repayment and discovered he was already married with a child. The woman introduced as his sister was, in fact, his wife.

Police said Vijay allegedly collected ₹17.6 million through multiple bank accounts, returning only ₹2.25 million, leaving ₹15.3 million unpaid.