Cleric Surrenders in Nagpur Case Involving Alleged Rape and Forced Conversion
The Nagpur police arrested a cleric on Wednesday night, the third accused in a case involving allegations of rape, blackmail, and forced religious conversion of a 24-year-old married woman. The cleric, identified as Hazrat Maulana, surrendered after police teams were dispatched to Madhya Pradesh to trace him, said Deputy Commissioner of Police Rushikesh Singareddy.
According to police, the woman filed a complaint on June 12, alleging she was drugged, assaulted, and blackmailed, and forced into marriage and conversion to another religion. An FIR was registered based on her statement.
The police had received information that the cleric was hiding in Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh. However, he had left the location before the police team arrived. He later surrendered in Nagpur.
The police will seek his custody and question him about his alleged role in the case, including details of the conversion rituals and the involvement of the other accused, who have already been arrested.
The case has drawn attention to allegations of forced religious conversion, though no charges have been proven in court. The investigation is ongoing.
