Nagpur Police have arrested a cleric wanted in connection with the alleged forced religious conversion of a 24-year-old woman, who is the wife of an Indian Air Force official. The accused, identified as Hazrat Maulana, was apprehended in Madhya Pradesh and is alleged to have played an active role in the woman's purported conversion and nikah. His arrest comes as investigators continue to probe allegations of sexual assault, blackmail and coercion made by the complainant.
The case came to light earlier this week after the woman accused her former classmate, Ayaaz Madare, and his associates of rape, blackmail, forced religious conversion and abuse. Police have already arrested the main accused, 26-year-old Ayaaz Madare, along with his associate Ameen Shaikh. A video showing a man restraining a woman while chanting religious verses also surfaced online, drawing widespread public attention and prompting a deeper investigation into the allegations.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), the alleged incidents began on February 8, 2025, when Ayaaz reportedly invited the woman to a hotel meeting and allegedly spiked her drink. The complainant stated that after regaining consciousness, she discovered objectionable photographs and videos had been recorded without her consent. She alleged that these materials were later used to blackmail her, with threats of sharing them with her husband and on social media, leading to repeated sexual assault and the alleged extortion of nearly Rs 4 lakh.
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The viral video referenced in the complaint reportedly shows the woman crying and asking to be released while Ayaaz holds her hands and chants religious verses. The complainant alleged that she was subsequently declared converted against her will and that an attempt was made to sexually assault her. She further claimed that the accused repeatedly forced her to consume a liquid from a plastic bottle, chanted verses in Urdu and described the acts as hypnosis or black magic before allegedly assaulting her.
The FIR also details an incident on May 31 in which the woman was allegedly taken to Kalmeshwar by Ayaaz and his associate. There, Hazrat Maulana, a resident of Tamia village in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara district, allegedly conducted religious rituals and compelled her to say "qubool hai" against her wishes. The complainant stated that she was then informed that she had converted to Islam and that a nikah with Ayaaz had been performed without her consent.
Police said the interrogation of the arrested cleric is expected to provide further details about the case. Investigators will seek to obtain the alleged nikahnama and determine whether additional individuals were involved in the alleged offences. Authorities are also examining whether similar allegations involving other women exist, while the investigation remains ongoing.
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