Uttar Pradesh Police on Sunday arrested a man in Varanasi for allegedly impersonating an Army officer and duping over 25 women by creating fake matrimonial profiles. The accused, Dayali Uppal, is a resident of NTPC Police Station area in Pedapalli district, Telangana. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Saravanan Thangamani confirmed the arrest and said that Uppal defrauded the women of approximately ₹40 lakh over a period of six years. Officers arrested him from the Chitaipur area under Commissionerate Varanasi after a complaint was filed by a woman from Chandauli district.
Accused Used Army Uniforms, Fake IDs to Deceive Victims
Police recovered multiple forged documents from Uppal, including fake nameplates bearing the names ‘Major Amit’ and ‘Major Joseph’. Investigators also seized fake identity cards from central police agencies such as the National Investigation Agency, Territorial Army, and Jammu & Kashmir Police. “We recovered army uniforms from him. We also got hold of the printing materials, the papers that are used for creating these fake ID cards,” said DCP Thangamani. The materials were used to fabricate convincing identities and earn the trust of his targets on matrimonial platforms.
Impostor Married Three Women, Maintained 25 Online Relationships
DCP Thangamani revealed that Uppal had already married three women while posing as an Army officer. Based on a complaint by a bank officer who had been in a relationship with him for five years, police launched a probe. “She had asked him to legalise their marriage and share identity documents, but he refused,” said the officer. The investigation revealed that Uppal remained in simultaneous contact with 25 women across Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Punjab, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal. He extracted money by emotionally manipulating the victims under false pretenses.
Accused Confessed to Fabricating Uniforms, IDs and Pistol
During interrogation, the accused admitted that he used the internet to search for Army officer IDs and used a printer to make duplicates. “I trapped the plaintiff in a love trap through a matrimonial site by telling them that I am an army officer by the name of Joseph and married her about five years ago. To date, I have taken about six lakh rupees from the plaintiff,” he confessed. Uppal also revealed that he purchased a fake pistol, created medals, and printed Army ID cards to avoid suspicion. Police recovered all fabricated items.
Police booked the accused under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) including Sections 115(2), 351(2), 318(4), 319(2), 338, 336(3), 204, 205, and 235, along with the Arms Act. Authorities confirmed that further legal action is underway and the investigation remains active. Police urged individuals who interacted with the accused through matrimonial platforms to come forward.
Must Read: Delhi CM Rekha Gupta Lauds ‘Tanvi The Great’, Calls It A Must Watch Movie For All Children
Swastika Sruti is a Senior Sub Editor at NewsX Digital with 5 years of experience shaping stories that matter. She loves tracking politics- national and global trends, and never misses a chance to dig deeper into policies and developments. Passionate about what’s happening around us, she brings sharp insight and clarity to every piece she works on. When not curating news, she’s busy exploring what’s next in the world of public interest. You can reach her at [swastika.newsx@gmail.com]
