Udupi : Police have arrested a polygamist named Rajesh Anchan (35) hailing from Kinnigoli who is facing the allegation of cheating as many as eight young women after  marrying them and then fleeing along with their cash and jewellery.

The arrested is learnt to have admitted that he had cheated Revathi of Malpe, Meenakshi of Derlakatte, Shambhavi of Kasargod, Prema of Kaup, Jayanthi of Uppinangady, Sunanda of Madikeri, Jayanthi of Dharmasthala and Shubha of Vittal.

Rajesh who had studied just upto fourth standard has been a cook and was befriending young women after falsely claiming that he was unmarried.

A few months after marriage, he used to flee after getting his wife’s jewellery and cash on some pretext. He would then silently move to some other town.

Rajesh had married Revathi while he was working in Sagar Hotel in Malpe. The marriage had taken place on September 20, 2007. After leading a life with her for one year, he managed to get Revathi’s 10 sovereign jewellery and a cash of Rs 40000 stating he would go overseas for job. But, Revathi came to know the truth only after  she saw a newspaper report on May 17 which mentioned of the missing of one Sukumar. The complaint was lodged by his wife Shubha of Maani. The report had also carried the photograph of Sukumar who was none else but Rajesh.

Revathi immediately   passed on the information to Jaya Karnataka of Udupi. Activists of this organization tracked down Rajesh who was working as a cook in lodge at Somwarapete and helped in his arrest.

It is learnt, Rajesh had married Meenakshi of Derlakatte in 2004 and they have a seven year old child. In 2005 he had married Shambavi of Kasargod and  had a daughter from her. Later, he had married Prema of Kaup and she too has a child.

Rajesh had married Revathi in 2007, Jayanthi of Dharmasthala in 2008, Sunanda of Madikeri in 2009  and Shubha of Maani in 2011. This was his last wedding and Shubha is now seven months pregnant, informed Jaya Karnataka District President Diwaker Shetty.