A distressing cross-border case involving alleged financial fraud and coercion for religious conversion has emerged in the industrial city of Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. A woman from Thailand has traveled to the city and approached senior police authorities, accusing Mohammad Irfan, a resident of Anwarganj, of swindling approximately Rs 60 lakh from her. The complainant further claimed that Irfan conceal his decade-and-a-half-old marriage, tied the knot with her under Thai traditions, and later pressured her to convert her faith when she demanded her money back.
Online Acquaintance and Marriage in Thailand
Narrating her ordeal to law enforcement officials, the Thai national stated that she first connected with Mohammad Irfan nearly four years ago on Instagram. The digital correspondence soon developed into personal meetings, as Irfan was a frequent visitor to Thailand in connection with his commercial ventures. As the bond deepened, the couple decided to formalize their relationship and wed around two years ago following traditional Thai rites. To substantiate her claims before the Kanpur police, the woman presented photographs of the wedding ceremony alongside relevant personal documentation.
Financial Strain and Allegations of Coerced Conversion
According to the complainant, Irfan began asking for financial assistance under the pretext of expanding his business shortly after their marriage. Rather than taking a single lump sum, he allegedly extracted money across multiple transactions, totaling approximately Rs 60 lakh. The woman revealed that she had arranged this substantial capital by taking personal loans from banks in Thailand and borrowing from acquaintances. With mounting monthly loan repayments hanging over her head back home, she repeatedly demanded the return of her funds, but Irfan refused to repay any part of the borrowed sum.
Instead of clearing his debts, Irfan allegedly placed a rigid condition before her, pressuring her to abandon her faith, undergo religious conversion, and relocate permanently to India to live with him. The pressure intensified as she continued to insist on the return of her financial assets.
Discovery of a 14-Year-Old Marriage and Children
Determined to confront him and recover her hard-earned money, the foreign national made the journey to Kanpur and visited Irfan's household in Anwarganj. Upon reaching his home, she was met with a devastating revelation: Irfan was already married. He had tied the knot approximately 14 years ago and had three children with his first wife. Having been kept completely in the dark regarding his existing family and matrimonial status throughout their relationship, the woman immediately sought official intervention from the city police.
Police Launch Detailed Probe into Financial and Matrimonial Claims
The aggrieved Thai national met Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Shiva Singh to formally submit her complaint against Irfan. She handed over the photographic evidence of their wedding along with records tracking the financial transactions between them. The police department has initiated an active investigation into the matter, focusing on verifying the legitimacy of the marriage documents, probing the monetary transfers, and examining the coercion charges. Senior officials stated that further legal proceedings will follow once the accused party is questioned and the facts are verified.
