Rohan Umak
Maharashtra 180 girls sexually exploited: Maharashtra’s Amravati Police on April 14 collared a youth aged 19 for allegedly netting minor girls into a ‘love trap’ and taking them to Mumbai and Pune, where their obscene videos were filmed by the accused. The police said they have recovered more than 350 videos from his cell phone.
On Wednesday, the Achalpur Municipal Corporation razed down the house of the accused, which was built illegally. The accused, identified as Mohammad Ayaz, is a resident of Paratwada city in Amrawati district. In videos recorded from the ground, a JCB is seen taking down an iron staircase constructed outside the house to access the first floor.
BJP MLA Pravin Tayada oversees demolishing ops
After Ayaz’s arrest, the Municipal Corporation team had already issued a notice to Ayaz’s family regarding the encroachment. A heavy police force was deployed on the site to prevent any untoward incident during the course of the demolishing operations. An MLA from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Pravin Tayade, was also present at the scene to oversee the administration’s action.
Maharashtra 180 girls sexually exploited: Details of the harrowing case
Ayaz, as learnt by the police, had lured as many as 180 minors girls into a love trap, and took them to other cities like Mumbai and Pune, where he filmed their obscene videos. The accused, after filming the videos, allegedly used to blackmail the victims and force them into stepping into prostitution. As per reports, some pictures and videos featuring Ayaz went viral on social media. Meanwhile, a BJP MP had also complained to the police regarding the incident, after which he fell into police dragnet.
Girls targeted via Messaging apps
Police officials aware of the case’s details said that the minor girls were systematically targeted through WhatsApp and Snapchat groups, as per a memorandum submitted by Rajya Sabha MP Anil Bonde to the Superintendent of Police (Rural), Vishal Anand. Bonde has also called for the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT), while echoing concerns that the case may extend beyond a single accused.
Accused an ex-associate of AIMIM
Reports suggest Ayaz had allegedly served as an office-bearer of the AIMIM earlier. He had also shared several pictures and videos on social media, in which he is seen receiving a letter from the MIM’s Amravati President, Haji Irfan Khan. After the case came to light, several such videos were deleted from his social media account.
On the other hand, AIMIM has distanced itself from the accused. District President of AIMIM (Amravati), Sayyed Mujeeb claimed that Ayaz has ‘no affiliation with the party.’ He added, “During the Achalpur Gram Panchayat Elections, he was entrusted with the responsibility of managing the social media accounts belonging to the party. However, as he failed to do the same, we issued him a letter and expelled him from the party after the conclusion of the elections. The accused is neither a party worker nor an office-bearer of the AIMIM.”
Action against accused so far
On Tuesday, the police arrested Ayaz and produced him in a court, which remanded him to seven days of police custody. Three more suspects in connection with the case have been arrested too, including one Uzer Khan. Both Ayaz and Uzer admitted to have committed the crime. The police have booked the accused under the Protection of Children From Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and other relevant provisions.
Meanwhile, the cops have seized Ayaz’s cell phone and are sifting through it for evidence. The investigating police personnel are also probing whether the accused shared the obscene videos within his circle. In the aftermath of the incident, calls for bandh (strike) were observed in Achalpur and Paratwada.
