B’luru techie from Srinagar held for ‘forcing’ live-in partner to convert, engaging in ‘unnatural sexual acts’

PTI, Sep 22, 2023, 5:04 PM IST

Karnataka police has arrested a 32-year-man from Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir for allegedly trying to convert a woman from another faith and engaging in ”unnatural sexual acts” on the pretext of marriage, police said on Friday.

The accused, identified as Mogil Ashraf Baig, used to work with an IT firm here. He has known the victim since 2018 and was in a live-in relationship with her. The woman also worked with a tech firm here, they said. According to the police, the couple was planning to have a court marriage but later the man allegedly forced the woman to get converted to Islam. The woman also accused Baig of using the pretext of marriage to get her to agree to having sexual intercourse with him.

In the FIR, the woman has alleged that Baig forced her to engage in ”unnatural sexual acts”. She also accused his brother of threatening her over the phone, a senior police officer said. The matter came to light on September 6, when the victim posted on social media platform X that she was a raped and forced into religious conversion. “@PoliceBangalore @DGPKarnataka @PMOIndia @CPBlr Sir, I am a victim of lovejihad, rape, unnatural sex, and forceful religious conversion. Kindly provide me with police assistance in Bangalore immediately, as my life is in danger (sic),” she posted on X.

Following her complaint, an FIR was filed in Bellandur police station on September 7. However, the case was subsequently transferred to Hebbagodi police station as the incident took place under its jurisdiction. On September 14, officials at Hebbagodi police station registered an FIR under sections 376 (rape), 377 (unnatural offences), 506 (criminal intimidation), 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) and 417 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code and section 5 of Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Act, 2022, the officer said.

As part of the investigation, a special team was dispatched to Jammu and Kashmir to locate the suspect and apprehend him, the officer added. “Our team apprehended the suspect from Srinagar on Wednesday. He was brought to Bengaluru on Thursday and produced before the court here. We have got two days of police custody. The case is still under investigation. All the allegations are being looked into. We need to interrogate him in detail,” said Mallikarjun Baldandi, Superintendent of Police (Bengaluru Rural).