Man booked in Bhopal for befriending, molesting woman by hiding his religion

Bhopal: A man has been booked for allegedly molesting a 22-year-old woman and for forcing her to get married to him, police here said.

The accused has been identified as Sheikh Sahil (around 25 years old), who works as a gym trainer in the city. He befriended the victim by hiding his religion and posing as Ashu. When the victim came to know about his actual name, she broke her friendship with him and then the accused started harassing her, a senior police officer said.

Bhopal Mahila Police Station in charge Anjana Dhurve told ANI, "The victim submitted a complaint against the accused to the police station on Tuesday, January 31. She told the police that she works in Bhopal and the accused used to live in the same building in which she lived. The accused befriended her posing as Ashu. Both of them went on outings during which the accused clicked some photographs."

After a few days, the woman came to know about his real name, Sheikh Sahil, as a result of which she broke friendship with him. After that, the boy started harassing her in different ways, he started following her, threatened to kill her and used to pressure her to get married to him, SHO Dhurve said.

She added that one day during the night, the accused entered into the victim's house and molested her but due to fear of infamy, she did not tell anyone about the incident. The accused took advantage of it and demanded Rs 5 lakhs for not stalking her. He also threatened her that if she did not give him the money then he would make her video viral on social media.

"After that the woman narrated the incident to her family members but the accused started threatening her family members as well to get her married otherwise he would kill her. In the meantime, the woman got engaged but again he started threatening her fiance as well," the police official said.

SHO Dhurve further said that acting on the complaint of the woman, a case was registered against the accused under IPC sections 354, 354D, 384 and 506 and took the accused into custody.
Further investigation into the matter was going on and more sections would be added on the basis of evidence that would come forward in the case, she added. (ANI)