Man Arrested in India for Marrying 15 Women and Stealing $365,000

In the southern city of Mysuru, Indian police have arrested a man for marrying 15 women over a decade and stealing jewelry, money, and property from them. The stolen assets are estimated to be worth 30 million rupees ($365,000).

On July 7, Mahesh Nayak, aged 45, was allegedly suspected of polygamy. Nayak is accused of deceiving women he met on matrimonial websites by acting as a doctor or an engineer to persuade them into marrying him.

Under the Indian Penal Code, polygamy, which involves having multiple spouses, is considered illegal. However, it is worth noting that Muslim men are permitted to have up to four wives under Sharia Islamic law.

According to The National, the man has five children from three wives.

Before he got in custody, Mr. Nayak had been in contact with nine additional women. A woman was responsible for his arrest whom he married in January, and from whom he allegedly stole gold jewelry and 1.5 million rupees. Law enforcement authorities successfully tracked Mr. Nayak's using his mobile phone.

“He had been cheating on women since 2013. We tracked him through his mobile phone. He has stolen gold, money, or property from three women including the most recent victim,” Radha M, from the Kuvempunagar police said.

“In one case, he transferred a property of a woman worth 30 million rupees to his name,” she added.

According to the police, Mr. Nayak, who did not complete his education, claimed to be an orphan and hired individuals to act as his friends or distant relatives. He specifically targeted educated and independent women, many of whom were divorced or widowed. He would also pay amounts ranging from 3000 rupees to 10,000 rupees to his fake "relatives" and "friends." After spending two to three days with each of his new brides in rented accommodations, he would run with their jewelry or cash.

“He had a very luxurious lifestyle. We have recovered two cars, seven mobile phones and two lakhs ($2,400) in a case,” Radha M said.