Bhopal:
Two men befriended students from a private engineering college in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhopal then allegedly raped and blackmailed them with private videos, later forcing them to convert and marry. The police have formed a special probe team to investigate the incident.
A 19-year-old woman approached the police earlier this month and alleged that her college friend, Farhan, raped her and made private videos to blackmail her. The woman alleged that she was forced to introduce her friends to Farhan and his associate, Sahil, who then allegedly raped and blackmailed her friends too.
One of the survivors is a minor. The accused, Farhan and Sahil, allegedly hid their identities to befriend the college students. The accused allegedly forced them to convert and marry.
The case draws parallels with the infamous Ajmer rape case, which involved over half a dozen students allegedly trapped in a web of deceit and exploitation since 2022.
The cops have arrested Farhan and Sahil, and three Zero FIRs have been registered in Bag Sewania, Jehangirabad, and Ashoka Garden police stations under the POCSO Act, the IT Act, sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act.
During the investigation, police recovered videos on the accused’s phone, which led to the identification of more suspects and survivors.
Police Commissioner Harinarayan Chari Mishra confirmed the arrests and said, “We had received certain complaints, and based on those, an FIR has been registered. Three separate complainants have come forward in this case. Two of the main accused have been arrested. Special Investigation Teams (SITs) have been formed to probe the matter thoroughly. Prima facie, the case involves rape, and one of the victims was a minor at the time, so charges under the POCSO Act have also been added. The SITs are investigating the matter with utmost seriousness.”
Sources indicate that many survivors have not come out and reported the incident due to a fear of defamation and social stigma. Counselling support has been offered to them. Police believe the gang operated systematically and may have targeted other students.