22 January,2018 08:36 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah Khan
Sohail Sayyed married his girlfriend six months ago, but said nothing to his family when they arranged his marriage with the second woman
As the father of the bride, it was the happiest day of his life. He had just returned home after the bidai (bride's send-off) and was proudly checking the congratulatory messages and wedding photo on his phone. Then his blood ran cold when he saw a picture of the groom standing in the same sherwani, with a different bride by his side. Just an hour after his daughter's bidai, all the pride that the father of the bride felt turned into rage and regret. As he looked at the picture of his son-in-law, he came to the realisation that his daughter had married a crook who was already married.
By 2 am, he turned up at his son-in-law's home to question him about the photo. Turns out, the groom - Sohail Sayyed, 26 - had already got married six months ago to his long-time girlfriend. His parents did not approve of the match, so he never told them about the wedding, said sources.
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Two-timing groom
Sayyed didn't say anything even when his parents arranged his marriage with the second woman, who lives in the same locality in Malwani. On Friday night, Sayyed showed up for his second wedding in the same sherwani that he had worn six months ago. Sources said the bride's father had left no stone unturned to give his daughter a lavish wedding at Malwani MHADA ground. It was only after the bidai took place around midnight, that the father returned home and saw the picture of Sayyed with his first wife.
Investigations later revealed that the photo had been sent from Andheri, where Sayyed's first wife lives. This has led the police to suspect that the picture was either sent by her or her relatives.
Accused absconding
The bride's family immediately went to the Malwani police station to register a complaint, but the cops only filed a non-cognisable (NC) offence. "On their arrival at the local police station, the woman officer on duty, API Sunita Kadam, merely registered an NC, and refused to register an FIR," said Shamim Bhai Raidowal, a family friend and local BJP politician. It was only after his intervention that the police finally lodged an FIR on Saturday. By that time, the accused and his parents had already fled.
In their hunt for him, the police went to another wedding reception - this time it was Sayyed's younger brother who had gotten married. However, the accused and his parents were nowhere to be found. An officer from Malwani police said, "We have registered the case under section 420 (cheating), 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 495 (concealment of former marriage) of the IPC against the accused groom. He is absconding and we are searching for him."
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