Mass marriage in UP's Ballia, spectator claims money for posing as groom

A startling revelation has emerged in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, where an alleged scam related to the state government's community wedding scheme has been exposed. The scandal unfolded when a man, Bablu, who attended the community wedding as a spectator on January 25, claimed that he was coerced into posing as a groom in exchange for Rs 2,000 to 3,000. Bablu asserted that he and others were manipulated by the program coordinators to pose as grooms, leading to a video surfacing where brides were seen garlanding themselves.

The allocated funds for beneficiaries were reportedly not disbursed as intended, prompting an immediate investigation. Ballia District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar confirmed that an FIR has been registered against nine individuals, including the Assistant Development Officer (ADO) of the Social Welfare Department.

The alleged mass marriage fraud in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, has triggered an inquiry after a video exposed the orchestrated deception. The community wedding scheme's intended beneficiaries were not properly facilitated, as evidenced by Bablu's claim that he was made to pose as a groom for monetary compensation. The revelation prompted the District Magistrate, Ravindra Kumar, to initiate an immediate investigation and register an FIR against nine individuals, including the Assistant Development Officer (ADO) of the Social Welfare Department. The scandal raises concerns about the misuse of allocated funds meant for genuine beneficiaries of the community wedding scheme.

In UP's Ballia, a video of brides garlanding themselves during "Mukhyamantri Samoohik Vivah Yojna event" has surfaced. It is being alleged this was done to embezzle money allocated to the couple under the scheme. pic.twitter.com/M9GbCLx8BI

— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) January 31, 2024