What Can a Woman Do When a Man Promises to Marry Her, Then Secretly Marries Someone Else — and Disappears With Her Rupees 40.5 Lakh?
About the Client
A 28-year-old working woman from Gurgaon who had been in a relationship with a man for 3 years. She worked as a sales manager at a real estate company. He was a businessman.
What Was the Case
The man and our client had been in a relationship since 2020. He had repeatedly promised to marry her. He introduced her to his friends as his “fiancee.” He took her to jewellery shops to look at engagement rings. He even discussed wedding dates with her family on a video call. Based on these promises, she trusted him completely.
In 2023, she found out through Instagram that he had married someone else in a lavish wedding. He had not told her, not ended the relationship, and not returned any of the money she had lent him during the 3 years — approximately ₹40.5 lakh in total (for his business expenses, a car down payment, and personal loans).
When she asked him for an explanation, he blocked her everywhere — WhatsApp, Instagram, facebook, and phone calls. He didn't even have the courage to speak to her directly. Instead, he sent a message through a common friend saying: "I never promised anything. She's lying. She should move on."
She came to us heartbroken, financially cheated, and wanting justice.
What Made This Case Difficult
- Promise to marry" is hard to prove because most promises are made in words, not in writing
- The man had already married someone else, that marriage couldn't be cancelled
- She had transferred money through UPI and bank transfers but there was no written agreement saying it was a loan
- The man was rich and had expensive lawyers on his side
- Family, friends, and people around her kept saying "just forget it and move on" instead of supporting her fight for justice
How SPJ Advocates Handled It
Step 1 — Preserving Evidence
- Preserved all WhatsApp messages, voice notes, and video call recordings where the man discussed marriage plans, wedding dates, and referred to her as his fiancee
- Downloaded Instagram stories and posts (before he could delete them) where he had posted pictures with our client with captions suggesting a committed relationship
- Collected bank statements showing rupees 40.5 lakh in transfers from our client to the man over 3 years
- Obtained a statement from our client’s mother confirming the video call where the man discussed wedding dates with the family
Step 2 — Filing the Criminal Complaint
- Filed an FIR under Section 420 (cheating), Section 376 (rape on false promise of marriage — under Indian law, consent obtained through a false promise of marriage can be treated as no consent), and Section 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC
- Submitted the complete evidence package with the FIR
Step 3 — Civil Recovery
- Simultaneously filed a civil suit for recovery of rupees 40.5 lakh with interest
- Applied for an interim attachment of the man’s bank account and property to prevent him from disposing of assets
Step 4 — Court Proceedings
- The opposite party’s lawyers tried to argue that the relationship was consensual and that no promise of marriage was ever made
- We presented 3 years of WhatsApp messages, voice notes where he specifically said "we’ll get married next year," the video call witness, and the jewellery shop visits
- It was clear from the evidence that this was not a casual relationship. He lied to her again and again for 3 years just to get physical relationship and her money.
The Result
The police filed a strong chargesheet against the man. When he and his family saw how much evidence we had, they came to us asking for a settlement. However, we (SPJ Advocates) were not in favour of a financial settlement, but our client was. Ultimately, The settlement was finalized: full repayment of rupees 40.5 lakh, and15 lakh extra as compensation for the emotional pain he caused, and a written apology. After the settlement was completed, the court gave permission to close the criminal case.
Has someone cheated you with a false promise of marriage? You have legal rights. Don't stay silent — Call us +91-8920245815. 8920245815 for confidential legal support.
