Mumbai: The Maharashtra government Wednesday formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe a case where a 19-year-old allegedly sexually abused, filmed, and circulated more than 100 objectionable videos of girls, claimed to be minors.
A resident of Paratwada in Amravati, Ayan Ahmed Tanvir Ahmed, was arrested in the case on 11 April and has been remanded to police custody until 21 April. On Wednesday, Achalpur Nagar Parishad demolished alleged illegal structures of the accused’s residence.
The FIR was registered after BJP Rajya Sabha MP Anil Bonde lodged a complaint with Amravati Rural police.
In a media address Tuesday, Superintendent of Police (SP) for Amravati Rural Vishal Anand said, “Police are monitoring posts of those who downloaded the videos and are recirculating them. More accused persons are likely to be added to the case.”
The 19-year-old allegedly lured girls into relationships and then sexually assaulted them and recorded the act. The police said that he blackmailed them with threats of making the videos viral.
Minister of Revenue of Maharashtra Chandrashekhar Bawankule, speaking to the media on the case, said, “I have spoken with the DGP, since this is a big issue. There are many dimensions to this case, which cannot be mentioned in the media today. We will investigate and take action against the accused.”
Speaking to the media Wednesday, MP Bonde said that four accused, including Ahmed, had been arrested, but “there are still many accused who are handling this from Amravati city, Nagpur”. “This scandal has many facets. There are many coaching classes in Amravati and Nagpur, where these boys and girls are involved.”
Suggesting that the 19-year-old was part of a racket, he said that the accused met the girls and lured them from coaching classes in Amravati and Achalpur. They allegedly spent money on hotels, gifts, and cars, with the minister emphasising that the financial angle also needed to be probed.
“Where is the money coming from? We suspect there is a drug racket or selling of pornographic content, and with the money they received, they were luring more girls,” he said.
The police have appealed to the victims to come forward to lodge complaints. They seized the accused’s mobile, which they are now scanning. Police said a case had been registered against the accused under sections 294 (sale, distribution of obscene content) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 8 (punishment for sexual assault), and 12 (sexual harassment) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and provisions of the IT Act.
The scandal has evoked political reactions.
Speaking about the allegations that the 19-year-old had connections with AIMIM, the party district head, Sayyad Mujib, said the accused was with the party but was no longer associated with it. “During the Achalpur Nagar Parishad elections, he was appointed as social media head. But during the election period, he did not work for the party or candidates. Hence, the party suspended him immediately after the elections. He has no connections with our party. We have no connection with him,” said Mujib in a statement to the media Wednesday.
Congress senior leader Yashomati Thakur from Amravati Wednesday said the cyber cell should be more active, considering youngsters now use many social media apps. “Stronger vigilance is needed. They destroyed the house of this accused, but that should also be done in the case of Nashik’s self-styled godman Ashok Kharat. In this case as well, strict sections of law should be applied,” Thakur said.
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)
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