Woman Judge Allegedly Duped After Online Relationship
A suspected online romance fraud case has surfaced in Haryana after a woman judicial officer allegedly lost more than ₹52 lakh to a man she met through the dating platform Tinder. The accused reportedly introduced himself as “Abhimanyu Vashishth” and claimed to be associated with a confidential government agency, gaining the woman’s trust before allegedly persuading her to part with large sums of money.
Investigators believe the relationship gradually developed over several months before financial transactions began.
Promise Of High Returns Led To Massive Transfers
According to the case records, the two first connected through the dating app in late 2025. As the relationship progressed, the man allegedly convinced the woman that he could help her earn substantial profits through investment opportunities.
Trusting his assurances, significant amounts of money were allegedly transferred. However, when the promised returns never materialised and repeated requests for repayment failed, suspicions were raised, leading to allegations of fraud and cheating.
Domestic Worker Filed The Complaint
One aspect of the case that drew attention during court proceedings was that the complaint was reportedly filed by the judge’s domestic worker rather than by the judicial officer herself.
While examining the matter, the court noted that most of the disputed financial transactions originated from the judge’s personal accounts. The judge hearing the bail application observed that the person who appeared to be directly affected had not approached the authorities in her own name.
The court also remarked that while victims of online romance scams may feel uncomfortable about publicly reporting such incidents, a thorough investigation requires complete transparency.
Court Flags Serious Investigation Lapses
During the hearing, the court pointed to several shortcomings in the police investigation.
Important digital evidence, including Tinder conversations, complete WhatsApp chats and detailed call records, had reportedly not been collected. The absence of these records, the court observed, left several key questions unanswered.
Investigators were also criticised for not securing crucial electronic evidence that could establish the nature of the relationship and the alleged financial transactions.
Accused’s Conduct Comes Under Scrutiny
The court further questioned the conduct of the accused during the investigation.
According to observations made during proceedings, the accused allegedly submitted only selected portions of conversations while withholding other relevant exchanges. The court noted that he had not fully cooperated by providing unrestricted access to his mobile device.
Describing the situation as a “hide-and-seek” exercise, the court said such actions had complicated efforts to uncover the complete facts of the case.
Bail Plea Under Examination
The accused was arrested and later sent to judicial custody. After failing to secure relief from a lower court, he approached a sessions court seeking bail.
The court is continuing to examine the matter while investigators work to gather additional evidence. The case has sparked fresh debate over online dating scams, digital fraud and the growing risks associated with relationships formed through social media and dating applications.
As the investigation progresses, authorities are attempting to determine whether the alleged deception was part of a larger fraud operation or an isolated case of online financial exploitation.
