UP Woman Posed as IAS Officer on Facebook to Marry Man, Then Allegedly Extorted ₹40 Lakh

Bareilly Fake IAS Officer Case: Woman Arrested for Marriage Fraud and Extortion

A woman accused of posing as an Indian Administrative Service officer to marry a man and subsequently allegedly extorting Rs 40 lakh from him has been arrested in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly district, in a case that has drawn widespread attention for the elaborate digital deception used to orchestrate the fraud.

The accused, identified as Sadhana, was arrested on Monday following a search operation and sent to judicial custody. The case was registered at Faridpur police station on a complaint filed by the victim, Abhishek, against Sadhana, her father Narendra Pal Singh, brother Surya Pratap, and maternal uncle Rajendra Singh, all residents of Sateti village in Budaun district.

An FIR has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, which pertains to cheating by personation using computer resources.

Bareilly Fake IAS Officer Case: How the Deception Was Carried Out

According to the complaint, Sadhana and her family allegedly misled Abhishek by portraying her as an IAS officer through fake photographs and videos shared on social media, specifically on Facebook. Trusting these fabricated claims and the credibility they lent to Sadhana and her family, Abhishek proceeded to marry her.

During questioning following her arrest, Sadhana allegedly admitted to uploading fabricated photographs and videos on Facebook showing herself dressed and presented as an IAS officer to gain the trust of Abhishek and his family. Superintendent of Police (South), Anshika Verma, confirmed that Sadhana is in fact a BSc graduate who was preparing for government job examinations at the time, with her father working as a farmer in Budaun.

The use of social media to construct an entirely false professional identity reflects a growing pattern of digital impersonation fraud in which individuals create convincing online personas to deceive prospective marriage partners, a trend that has become increasingly common as matrimonial decisions are increasingly influenced by social media profiles and digital credentials.

Alleged Extortion and Threats After Marriage

According to the complainant, Sadhana’s behaviour changed significantly after the marriage. She allegedly tried to strangle Abhishek, threatened him and his family with serious consequences, and demanded Rs 40 lakh from him.

During her confession to investigators, Sadhana allegedly admitted to demanding the Rs 40 lakh from her husband after threatening him and asking him to sell his agricultural land to fund the construction of a hospital on a plot she owned in Badaun. She also admitted to assaulting her husband during a domestic dispute, according to SP Verma.

The escalation from marriage fraud to alleged physical assault and financial extortion has made the Bareilly fake IAS officer case one of the more alarming examples of matrimonial deception to come to light in Uttar Pradesh in recent months, drawing attention to the vulnerabilities that can arise when prospective spouses are not properly verified before marriage.

What Happens Next in the Bareilly Fake IAS Officer Case

Sadhana is currently in judicial custody, and police said further investigation into the case is underway. The FIR names not just Sadhana but also her father, brother, and maternal uncle, suggesting investigators are examining the extent to which the wider family was involved in planning and executing the fraud against Abhishek.

The case is expected to proceed through the courts under the BNS provisions related to cheating and criminal intimidation, alongside the IT Act section covering impersonation through digital means. Legal experts have noted that the combination of charges reflects the multi-layered nature of the alleged offence, which encompassed identity fraud, marriage deception, threats, and financial extortion.

Also Read: Fake Merchant Navy Officer Arrested for Duping Indore Woman of ₹26.86 Lakh Through Matrimonial Scam

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