“They told me they would ruin my life if I said anything."
An Indian man was allegedly tricked into marrying a 45-year-old woman, who was the mother of his intended bride.
The bizarre incident happened in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.
Twenty-two-year-old Mohammad Azeem said he discovered the switch after the ceremony.
He said he was meant to marry a woman named Mantasha. The wedding was arranged by his brother Nadeem and his wife, Shaida.
The wedding happened on March 31, 2025.
Mohammad only realised something was wrong when the priest referred to the bride as Tahira.
When he lifted the veil, he saw that the woman was not 21-year-old Mantasha, but her widowed mother. According to police, she was disguised as the bride and had gotten married to him.
Mohammad said: “I was shocked. I did not know it was her mother until after the ceremony.”
The Indian man also claimed that Rs 5 lakh (£4,400) was exchanged during the marriage.
Mohammad told police that when he protested against the fraud, his brother and sister-in-law threatened to implicate him in a false rape case.
He told police: “They told me they would ruin my life if I said anything.
“I was scared and didn’t know what to do.”
He filed a complaint on April 17 at the Brahmapuri police station.
CO Brahmapuri Saumya Asthana said: “A settlement has been reached between the involved parties.
“Azeem has withdrawn his complaint and indicated that he does not wish to pursue any legal action at this time.”
The unusual case has sparked attention in the local area. Police have not confirmed whether any money was recovered or if Tahira could face further investigation.
Although the case has been closed for now, questions remain over how the swap went unnoticed until the marriage was complete.
Questions over why Mohammad’s brother and sister-in-law committed the fraud have also been raised.
Incidents involving the groom and the bride’s mother in India have come to light in recent weeks.
In Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, a groom eloped with his bride’s mother 10 days before the wedding.
Rahul vanished with 40-year-old Anita and allegedly stole the family’s life savings and jewellery to fund their escape.
On April 6, Rahul claimed he was going out to buy a last-minute wedding outfit. But that evening, the Indian man had called his father to confess he had run away, asking his family not to search for him.
Meanwhile, Anita had also disappeared. She left no note or explanation for her daughter or husband, Kumar.
It was revealed that Rahul and Anita regularly spoke and according to Kumar, Rahul sent a message to him, telling him to “forget about his wife”.
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