Two arrested in Kanchanpur for second marriage scheme under false promise

Kanchanpur: Two individuals have been arrested in Kanchanpur for engaging in a second marriage under false pretenses, including a promise to take a woman to America, and for facilitating the wedding.

The suspects, identified as Bishnu Prasad Mali, 32, of Bhageshwor Rural Municipality-4, Dadeldhura, and Janak Bahadur Dhami of Bedkot Municipality-2, Kanchanpur, were taken into custody. According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Umesh Raj Joshi, spokesperson for the District Police Office, Kanchanpur, an investigation is ongoing.

Mali allegedly lured a 31-year-old woman through social media, claiming he was single and promising to take her to the United States after their marriage. On Mangsir 23, Mali married the woman in Mahendranagar with Dhami acting as the facilitator for the wedding.

Unbeknownst to the woman and her family, Mali already had a wife at home and was planning the second marriage while holding a U.S. visa. The victim's family filed a polygamy case against Mali after discovering his marital status through a TikTok video of the wedding that was shared online. The video reached Mali’s first wife, who reported the matter to the authorities.

Mali, a co-driver by profession, had been in a relationship with the victim for three months, convincing her family of his sincerity with promises of relocation to America. The deception unraveled when Mali and the victim traveled to Dhangadhi after their wedding.

Following the court's extension of the investigation period, police are probing the allegations against Mali and Dhami, who have both been charged under Nepal's polygamy laws.