UP Woman Marries Brother to Get Mass Marriage Scheme Benefits

Maharajganj (UP): In yet another incident of fraud, a woman in Uttar Pradesh married her own brother to claim benefits under the Chief Minister’s Mass Marriage Scheme. The incident occurred during a mass wedding event held in Maharajganj on March 5th, 2024.

The woman, identified as Preeti Yadav, was supposed to marry Ramesh Yadav. However, when Ramesh failed to appear at the ceremony, middlemen reportedly convinced Preeti to marry her brother, Krishna, instead.

Authorities discovered the scheme after investigating the couple’s registration for the program. The Mass Marriage Scheme offers financial assistance of ₹51,000 to eligible couples, including ₹35,000 deposited directly into the bride’s bank account.

A probe has been launched into the incident, and a case has been registered against both Preeti and Krishna. Additionally, a village development officer has been suspended for failing to properly verify documents during the registration process.

This incident follows a similar case of fraud reported in Ballia earlier this year, where 240 ineligible couples attempted to exploit the scheme. The Uttar Pradesh government has responded by implementing stricter verification procedures, including linking beneficiary details with Aadhaar, a national identification program.

The government also plans to issue marriage certificates on the spot during future mass wedding events to prevent similar frauds from occurring.