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Mangaluru: A 32-year-old man was arrested for allegedly cheating women through online matrimonial platforms by promising marriage and collecting money before disappearing, police said on Tuesday.

The accused, identified as Sushanth Poojary alias Sushanth Ankush Poojary alias Sushanth G Karkera, allegedly befriended a woman through an online matrimonial portal and married her in Navi Mumbai on February 2, 2025, they said.

Police said he subsequently collected Rs 6.6 lakh from her in instalments and went missing on November 15, 2025, raising suspicion.

According to police, when the complainant made further inquiries, she discovered that the accused had allegedly deceived multiple women in a similar manner and had concealed an earlier marriage.

Based on her complaint, Kavoor police registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Police traced and arrested the accused on February 5.

During interrogation, the accused is said to have admitted to marrying a woman in Udupi in 2021 and cheating several others across Karnataka and Maharashtra by promising marriage, a senior police officer said.

Investigators said he allegedly duped two women each in Udupi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, and another woman in Karkala using the same method.

Police also arrested his accomplice, a resident of Mulki near Mangaluru- Bhaskar, who allegedly posed as the accused's relative to convince the complainant's family and participated in wedding rituals in Mumbai.

Both men were produced before a court, which remanded them to judicial custody.

Authorities added that Poojary has prior cases registered against him, including for cheating and theft in Karnataka and serious offences in Maharashtra under IPC, Immoral Trafficking Act and POCSO provisions.

Mangaluru city Police are investigating.