Kozhikode: A woman in the four-member gang that cheated a doctor from Thiruvananthapuram, who retired from government service, with a fake marriage and extorted over Rs 5 lakh and gold jewelry worth two sovereigns, has been arrested. Irshana (34), a native of Puthur of Nileswaram in Kasaragod, was arrested by Nadakkavu Police here.

The gang befriended the doctor, who was working in a private hospital in Karnataka after retiring from the government service, and put forward a marriage proposal with Irshana. The scam was on the understanding that the doctor was legally divorced.

The accused had strategically trapped the complainant who was prompted to talk to Irshana over phone. Doctor was asked to come to Kozhikode for the marriage on February 8, 2024. One of the gang members, who was introduced as Irshana’s brother, led their nikah rituals. After the marriage, Rs 5 lakh was transferred to Irshana's account for the purpose of taking a house on lease to live together.

On the wedding day, the accused and the complainant stayed in separate rooms in a private lodge in Kozhikode as the amount was not credited in Irshana's account.
The next day, after the money was credited to Irshana's account, all the accused went along with the complainant who wanted to see the house they hired on lease in a car. 

As it was Friday, one of the accused went to the mosque near Nadakkavu fish market here along with the complainant saying that he would go home after offering namaz. One of the accused who had gone to pray with the complainant returned and joined the other accused. The team also took away the complainant's mobile phone, tab etc which he had kept in the car. Then the gang members fled, abandoning their mobile phone numbers.

The police arrested Irshana from Kasaragod on Saturday. Nadakkavu Inspector N Prajeesh said that the other accused have also been identified. 
Meanwhile, Irshana was remanded by the court.