Man Reunites with Two Families After 30 Years—But Is He a Victim or a Fraud?

New Delhi(The Uttam Hindu):In a bizarre twist of events, Bhim Singh, a man from Uttar Pradesh, recently reunited with his family after nearly three decades, only to later face detention under suspicion of fraud. Singh, who had been abducted as a child and forced into bonded labor, reappeared after a long absence, leading to a reunion first in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, and then in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. However, what seemed like a miraculous return quickly turned into a complicated mystery involving conflicting identities and overlapping narratives.

The saga began when Singh, also known as Monu Sharma, visited a police station in Ghaziabad three days ago, claiming that he was abducted as an eight-year-old 31 years ago. He shared his painful journey, stating that he and his sister were kidnapped while returning from school and taken to Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. He said he was forced to work as a shepherd, enduring abuse and neglect, until he was finally rescued by a kind person who dropped him off in Ghaziabad. Singh’s emotional reunion with his family followed soon after.

However, the plot thickened when it was discovered that Singh had already been reunited with another family in Dehradun just five months earlier. In July, he had introduced himself as Monu Sharma to the police in Dehradun, claiming to have been abducted at the age of nine and forced into bonded labor in Rajasthan. His story caught the attention of Asha Sharma, an elderly woman from Dehradun, who recognized him as her long-lost son. She welcomed him home, and he began working at the Niranjanpur vegetable market. However, in late November, he left for Delhi, only to vanish without a trace. Upon hearing of the developments in Ghaziabad, Asha Sharma was shocked. She said, “When I saw his photograph in July, I knew it was him, my son. After so many years, I was overjoyed to have him back. But after he left for Delhi, we never heard from him again.”

Kapil Dev Sharma, Asha’s husband, expressed growing suspicions about the man. “I always suspected he was a fraud. He often argued with us and even told my wife that our granddaughters should not stay with us. Now, after hearing about the Ghaziabad incident, I’m convinced he was deceiving us.

He should be arrested so he can't hurt other families like this.” Before leaving for Delhi, the man allegedly took ₹8,000 from his employer and a local NGO by fabricating tales of his hardship. Police in both Dehradun and Ghaziabad are now investigating the case, trying to piece together the truth behind the man’s identity. Inspector Pradeep Pant, who heads the anti-human trafficking unit in Dehradun, confirmed that the authorities are coordinating to determine Singh's true identity and intentions. “If any fraud is involved, we will ensure no other family suffers due to his actions,” Pant assured the media. The case has left both families and law enforcement puzzled, with authorities working to uncover the truth and uncover whether any criminal activities have taken place.