Uttar Pradesh: Shoaib posed as Sourabh to trap Dalit woman, recorded sexual activity to blackmail and convert

Once more, a tragic incident unfolded in Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow district as a Dalit woman found herself ensnared in a deceitful relationship. The victim, belonging to the Dalit community, fell prey to the cunning tactics of Shoaib, who posed as Sourabh to entice her. He subjected her to a harrowing ordeal, including sexual assault, and also recorded the intimate videos, all while pressuring her to convert to Islam. Upon discovering the true identity of the accused, the victim promptly reported the matter to the police, and an investigation is now underway.

The 23-year-old told the police that six years ago, she had befriended a young man named Saurabh, and they began conversing over the phone. In 2019, when she was alone, he visited her home and brought a cold beverage. After consuming it, she lost consciousness. It was then that he subjected her to a sexual assault, recording it on video. When she learned about the video, she started protesting. The accused, on the other hand, attempted to pacify her with the promise of marriage. Unfortunately, this was just the beginning, as the perpetrator continued to sexually assault her on numerous occasions thereafter.

The victim learned about his true identity after answering his phone one day. She said, while they were together, the accused went to the washroom and his phone rang, when she picked it up, the caller asked if Shoaib was there and she replied that it was Saurabh’s number, after which the latter unveiled the offender’s actual name to her. He was outraged to see his mobile in her hand after he came out of the bathroom.

When she questioned him about what she had overheard, the irate man punched her and fled. He then called her and informed her that he had her footage and would post it to social media if she revealed his identity to anybody. She kept quiet about what happened, but the offender started pressuring her to convert to Islam and threatening to kill her family if she did not, which alarmed her and eventually led her to call the police.  The victim said that the accused had repeatedly obtained her signatures on black paper during the house visits.

A case has been registered at the Mahanagar police station of the Lucknow district this week. The police station in charge Prashant Mishra said that a case has been registered in response to the allegations made by the victim. The accused has been booked under the Uttar Pradesh Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities Act), and sections of misbehaviour and threatening. Raids are being conducted to apprehend the culprit, who is hiding out at his aunt’s (his mother’s sister’s) flat in the city, he added.

On September 21, Organiser reported a similar case from Uttar Pradesh where one Aas Mohammas posed as Sonu to trap Minor Hindu girl, after eloping with him she found about his true identity and the accused began forcing her to convert to Islam.

A First Information Report (FIR number—113/2023) was registered at the Aichora Kamboh police station of the Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh on September 19 and the same day police arrested the accused.

In the complaint, the minor’s father Kamlesh told the police that, he is a resident of the Rajapuri area of Delhi Cantt. Her daughter left the house with a man named Sonu who offered her a job in Uttar Pradesh. After reaching there she lost touch with the family, when the family started looking for Sonu they learned that he is Aas Mohammad, a resident of Pansukha village of the Sambhal district.

Following the complaint the police booked the accused man under IPC section 363 (abduction), 366 (abducting woman to compel marriage) and sections 3 / 5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act.