After releasing the first look of the film on May 26, the makers of the much anticipated upcoming film, ‘Ajmer 92’ dropped the teaser on July 13. The one-minute-six-second clip sends shivers as it delves into the dark lives of hundreds of women who were raped and blackmailed back in 1992.
The teaser begins with a shot of a young teen girls and women in their early twenties getting blackmailed over a call. The perpetrators inform the victim’s about their pictures being released in newspapers.
Later, the film takes note of the inaction on the part of the then government due to the ‘Hindu-Muslim’ angle. Notably, all the blackmailers and accused in this case belong to the Muslim community.
It is noteworthy that the film is based on a real-life incident.
Later on, several girls and women are seen committing suicide, while the government fears to take action, considering the religion of the perpetrators.
The film claims that as many as 250 teen girls and women became the victim of the Ajmer 1992 rape case.
The film is set to hit theatres on July 21. The film stars Manoj Joshi, Karan Verma, Rajesh Sharma, Zarina Wahab, Brijendra Kala, and Shalini Kapoor in important roles.
Pushpendra Singh is directing the film, while Umesh Kumar Tiwari is the producer and Reliance Entertainment in association with U & K Films Entertainment, Sumit Motion Pictures and Little Crew Pictures is producing the film.
The film is written by Suraj Pal Rajak, Pushpendra Singh, and Gyanendra Pratap Singh while the music is composed by Parthsakha Daskabi. Ever since the movie was announced, it has attracted controversies as many Islamic organisations including Jamiat Ulama e Hind called for its ban.
Recently, Rajasthan High Court junked a petition seeking a ban on the release of the film in cinemas and OTT platforms. Earlier, Ajmer 92 was scheduled to release on July 14.
If we talk about the details available on the Ajmer rape cases we found that, more than 100 girls in their teens and early twenties were gang-raped repeatedly and subjected to blackmail in Ajmer, Rajasthan, in 1992. These cases are often called as Ajmer rape case of 92.
A group of young men led by Farooq and Nafis Chishty, two prominent Khadim family members who also handled the caretaking of the Ajmer Sharif Dargah were involved in the crime. The modus-operandi was taking the victims to a rural farmhouse or cottage over the years, concluding in 1992, where they were sexually raped by one or more men. In addition, the offenders also collected and revealed the victims’ naked or exposed photos as leverage in a blackmail scheme to keep the women silent.
A local newspaper, Dainik Navajyoti, published an article detailing the crimes’ circumstances and including some of the photos, the rapists had taken, which brought the incident to light. Police started an investigation into the affair at the same time. The local government reportedly knew about the incidents for up to a year before but decided to delay pursuing legal action.
As many as 18 serial offenders were charged in court in September 1992. The first eight defendants to stand trial received life sentences; however, the Rajasthan High Court later exonerated four of them in 2001. Farooq Chishti was found guilty in 2007 by a fast-track court in Ajmer, but he was discharged on time served in 2013 by the High Court.
“The accused were in a position of influence, both socially and financially, and that made it even more difficult to persuade the girls to come forward and depose,” claims retired Rajasthan D.G.P. Omendra Bhardwaj, who was then assigned as the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Ajmer.
In this case, the Supreme Court said, “Unfortunately, many of the victims who appeared as witnesses turned hostile, and one can appreciate the reason why they did not want to depose against the appellants as that would have exposed them as well and would have adversely affected their future life.”
All 19 suspects were charged with kidnapping. Farooq Chishtee, the primary suspect, was the head of the Ajmer Youth Congress. Anwar Chishtee served as the organization’s joint secretary, and Nafis Chishtee served as vice president of the Ajmer Indian National Congress.
The court also imposed sentences on Moijullah (also known as Puttan), Ishrat Ali, Anwar Chishtee, and Shamshuddin (also known as Maradona). Suhail Chishtee, a fugitive, hid for 26 years before coming clean. Salim Chishtee, a fugitive, was apprehended in 2012. Alamas, another key suspect, is still at large.
According to the police and organisations that support women (NGOs), it was challenging to compile evidence against the offenders because the majority of victims were reluctant to come forward. However, the images and videos used to extort the victims were important in identifying the suspects and strengthening the prosecution’s case.
The findings led to the identification of thirty victims. Only a dozen or so of them filed cases, and another ten later withdrew. The case was only pursued by two victims. One of the 18 defendants who were charged with kidnapping, gang rape, and indecent representation of women under the Indian Penal Code has now taken his own life. Despite reducing the sentence from life in prison to the time already served by the defendant, the Rajasthan High Court maintained the judgement in 2013.
In 2004, the Supreme Court dismissed both appeals filed by the state, as well as the convicts. A bench comprising Justice N. Santosh Hegde and Justice BP Singh said, “Having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case, we are of the view that the ends of justice would be met if the sentence is reduced to ten years of rigorous imprisonment.”
Following the torture during the trial and their pictures in the public domain, several victims committed suicide. According to police investigations, about 6 victims allegedly committed suicide. Ajmer Mahila Samooh, who tried to take up the victim’s cause, withdrew after receiving threats.
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