In a deeply disturbing incident, the Maharashtra Police have filed a case against Zeeshan for the sexual assault of a minor girl in the Shrigonda region of Ahmednagar district. Additionally, another girl has been booked for allegedly aiding the accused in approaching the victim. The accused, Zeeshan, reportedly captured explicit images of the victim and used them to coerce and blackmail her before committing the sexual assault.
The First Information Report (FIR) has been registered under sections 376, 376(2)(1) of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and sections 4, 11, 12, and 17 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012. The victim resides in Shindewadi village, while the accused is from Shrigonda.
According to the FIR, the incident came to light on December 14, 2023, when the victim, a student at Maharaj Jeevajirao Shinde College in Shrigonda, called her mother to report the ongoing blackmail by Zeeshan, coercing her into establishing a sexual relationship.
The complainant, the mother of the victim, rushed to Shrigonda upon receiving the distressing call. The victim detailed the continuous harassment, threats, and blackmail she had been subjected to by the accused.
The 17-year-old victim revealed that she was introduced to Zeeshan by a friend (another accused girl) in August 2023, who claimed Zeeshan was her brother and expressed his desire to be friends with the victim. Despite her initial refusal, the friend forced the victim into communicating with Zeeshan.
This pattern continued, with the accused forcefully taking photographs of the girl. Subsequently, he began harassing her over phone calls, using the other accused girl as a conduit to force the victim to speak with him. Upon refusal, Zeeshan resorted to blackmail, threatening to circulate explicit images of the girl in the village.
On September 25, the situation escalated when Zeeshan coerced the victim to accompany him to a hotel, threatening to expose her images and defame her in the village. Once at the lodge, Zeeshan brandished a knife, sexually assaulted the victim, and warned her into silence.
The accused recorded the assault and captured derogatory images, exploiting them to perpetuate his blackmail and fulfil his sexual demands.
Zeeshan has been booked under sections 376, 376(2)(1) of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and sections 4, 11, 12, and 17 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012. The investigation is underway.
