Ludhiana, March 2 -- The Ludhiana police have booked a Uttar Pradesh-based businessman on charges of rape and cheating for allegedly solemnising a second marriage with a Ludhiana-based widow while concealing his existing marriage.

According to the police, the accused, identified as Purohit Kumar Singhal, is already married and has two children. His family resides in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh.

Investigators said Singhal had projected himself as unmarried and claimed he was seeking a suitable alliance before marrying the complainant in a temple ceremony in July 2023.

According to the complaint lodged on November 15, 2025, the woman lost her husband in 2021 and had since been raising her children while managing her business....