Police in Maharashtra have arrested a man accused of impersonating an Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientist and cheating an IT professional of Rs 43 lakh through a matrimony website.
The complainant, a 28-year-old woman from Wakad in Pune, had registered her profile on a popular matrimony platform in 2024. A few months later, a 36-year-old man from the Alibag region contacted her and introduced himself as “Jayesh Patil”, claiming he worked as a scientist at ISRO.
According to the complaint, he promised marriage and gradually collected money from her on various pretexts, assuring her that the amount would serve as savings for their life after marriage. The woman allegedly transferred the funds between November 2024 and January 2025, and the two also met in person on some occasions.
The woman later realised he was not an ISRO scientist and approached the Wakad police station seeking action. Following an investigation, police arrested the accused, identified as Adarsh Matre, who had been absconding.
Police said they recovered Rs 16.65 lakh from him and are working to trace the remaining amount. Investigators also found that the accused had used the cheated money to travel to Goa and lead a lavish lifestyle.
