KOCHI: Kochi city police have registered a case against a young woman who allegedly deceived a trans man by promising marriage and convincing him to undergo gender-transition surgery before disappearing with his money and gold.
The 26-year-old trans man — originally from Melur in Thrissur district but now residing in Kaloor, Kochi — lodged a complaint saying that he was emotionally manipulated and financially exploited, losing around `30 lakh and 88 grams of gold jewellery.
Subsequently, the police booked the woman, 22, along with her parents under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including charges of theft, financial fraud, and violating trust by dishonestly misusing property, said an officer with the Ernakulam Town North police station.
As per the complaint, the woman — from Edappazhanji in Thiruvananthapuram district — got acquainted with the trans man through Instagram in April 2024. Their virtual friendship soon evolved into a romantic relationship, during which the woman allegedly assured him that she would marry him if he transitioned to a male. The trans man underwent gender-affirming surgery at significant personal expense, the complaint said.
Detailing the accusations, the officer said the woman continued to mislead the complainant even after the surgery. She allegedly promised that her ancestral house in Thiruvananthapuram would be transferred to his name after their marriage, and managed to extract around `10 lakh from him, including Rs 1 lakh purportedly for renovation. In addition, her family members allegedly took Rs 20 lakh from the trans man under various pretexts, including chit payments.