KOCHI: The Crime Branch (CB) has issued a look-out notice against a Sreekaryam native who duped a college lecturer into marriage using a fake identity and allegedly siphoned off Rs 10.27 lakh and 101 sovereigns of gold from her. The accused is Shajahan M N.
Shajahan met the woman through a matrimonial website, Crime Branch DySP Rajmohan said.
“The parents of the woman, who belonged to the Nair community and had been separated from her first husband, posted an advertisement on a matrimonial website for remarriage. Shajahan too posted an advertisement in the name of Mukundan Nair and approached the woman’s family, claiming that his parents had died and his brother was working as a doctor in the UK," Rajmohan said.
He also made them believe that he was working abroad and created a fake SSLC certificate to show them. Unfortunately, the victim’s family members did not inquire much about him. He even went to the engagement ceremony alone and later, for the marriage, he hired seven persons to pose as his relatives,” he added.
After living with the woman for five months, he left after a dispute over an attempt to snatch her parents’ properties. Soon after, the woman gave birth to a child.
However, in 2019, the family approached the police out of fear that Shajahan might approach them to claim a share of their property. The case was handed over to the CB in 2020.
The Ernakulam unit of CB, which is in search of Shajahan, suspects him to be Singapore, Indonesia or Thailand.
“During the investigation, we came to know about his fake identity. Shajahan had studied only till Class 10. Our investigation also revealed that he has married four other women. His first wife is now in Thiruvananthapuram. We have identified the person who made the fake SSLC certificate for Shajahan and have also questioned his close friends in Kerala. Though we tried to persuade him to come back and cooperate with the investigation through his friends, he refused,” Rajmohan said.
The Crime Branch decided to issue a look out notice following information that Shajahan might turn up in Kerala to renew his passport. “As the look out notice has been issued, he will be arrested once he lands at any airport, seaport or other entry point to India. After his arrest, we have to collect his DNA samples to confirm his identity,” Rajmohan said.