In a major breakthrough, the Nagpur Police on Wednesday arrested a cleric wanted in connection with the alleged assault, blackmail, and forced conversion of an Air Force official's wife.
The accused, identified as Hazrat Maulana, had been on the run for a long time. However, he surrendered at the Sonegaon police station late Wednesday night. Following his arrest, the cleric is scheduled to appear in court today, June 18, where investigators will seek his remand for further interrogation.
IAF Official's Wife's 'Forced Conversion' Case
A sensational case of alleged religious conversion and abuse of the wife of an Air Force official surfaced earlier this week. The woman accused a former classmate and his associates of rape, blackmail, black magic, and forced religious conversion.
The main accused, Ayaz Madare, and his accomplice, Amin Sheikh, are already in police custody. The accused cleric reportedly played an active role in the alleged conversion and nikah.
What Is The Whole Incident?
The ordeal began in February 2025 when her former school classmate, Ayyaz, contacted her under the pretext of buying a plot. The victim works in property dealing. According to the complaint, Ayyaz lured her to a hotel on Wardha Road, where he allegedly spiked her juice with a sedative, raped her while she was unconscious, and captured obscene photographs and videos of the assault.
He subsequently used the videos to blackmail the victim, subjecting her to repeated sexual exploitation and extorting Rs 3.09 lakh from her. The woman was continuously pressured to convert to Islam and forced to participate in various activities framed as religious rituals.
The coercion escalated in May when Ayyaz took her to Kalmeshwar in Nagpur, introducing her to accomplices Ameen Sheikh and Hazrat Maulana. The trio then drove her to a secluded location to perform a forced religious conversion ceremony.
A viral video has emerged as central evidence in the case, capturing the victim frantically crying "Chhodo mujhe" (let me go) while her former classmate, Ayyaz Taj Madare, forcefully holds her hands and chants religious verses over her struggles.
The complainant further alleged that the suspects attempted to rape her again immediately following the ritual.
Police To Obtain Marriage Certificate, Widen Probe
Following the arrest of the cleric, police officials stated that more information about the operation is likely to emerge during interrogation. Investigators are now trying to obtain the Nikahnama (marriage certificate) and determine if more people were involved. Furthermore, the scope of the investigation has been widened to determine whether other women were similarly targeted and forced to convert.
(With Inputs From Jagran.com)