Friday , March 29 2024

Child marriages with aged Arab Shaiks busted in city

Hyderabad : Alarmed over the child marriages with old Arab Shaiks in the Old city, the city police plunged into action and nabbed five Omani and three Qatar Shaiks along with three qazis, four lodge owners and five brokers on Wednesday.

The accused foreign nationals were identified as Mayahi Habib Ali Issa (principal accused absconding), Al Salhi Talib Humeid Ali, Al Ubaidani Juma Shinoon Sulaiman, Al Salehi Nasser Khalifa Hamed, Al Qasimi Hassan Mazaaul Mohammed of Sultanate of Oman country, Omer Mohammed Seraj Abdal Rahman, Hamad Jabir O Al-Kuwari, Safeldin Mohamed Mohamednour Salih of Qatar and three Qazis, including Chief Qazi of Mumbai Farid Ahmed Khan. Besides, the police also identified 35 brokers and busted the network spread from Hyderabad to Oman and other Gulf Countries.

            After the incident of child marriage reported on August 17, the Hyderabad police took the incident seriously and formed teams and conducted a thorough probe which revealed that the Shaik marriages were going on in Hyderabad with strong network right from the arrival of Shaiks at the airport till the marriage as per choice and departure of the Shaiks to respective countries.

            Addressing the media, South Zone DCP V Satyanarayana said the modus operandi of the agents was to lure minor girls from poor families with money and practically selling them off to foreigners with the help of clerics, who solemnize the marriages. At the time of marriage, the bride is made to sign on blank bond papers agreeing to abide by ‘talaq’ if and when given. He said the menace starts from Gulf brokers, who associate with the Shaiks during their stay and help them communicate with the local girls and their families. There are a few brokers, who married Hyderabadi women, whose job was to identify poor families interested to give away their daughters in the name of marriage for the sake of money. After reaching the new country, the hapless women end up in getting exploited at the hands of several others.

            The DCP said as many as 35 local brokers were identified, including 25 women. Most of them keep the young girls ready as per the requirement. The brokers also exhibit the girls at hotels where they take shelter or Shaiks themselves visit the houses of the girls and select the girl for their marriages.

The investigation into August 17 case at Falaknuma police station led to the disclosure of principal accused Ahmed Abdullah Amur Al Rahbi, an Omani national (absconding) came to Hyderabad to perform marriage with a minor girl and raped the girl and left India after paying handsome amount to brokers and obtained passport of minor girl and trafficked the victim to his place by submitting forged documents before the Embassy and other authorities. In this connection, five local brokers were arrested. Sikandar Khan, brother of Syeeda Unnisa (complainant) and his wife Ghousia Begum alias Ayesha played key roles in performing the marriage of victim with an old aged person and prepared fake voter ID card, fake birth certificate, and arranged online date to obtain passport of victim. One Md Habeeb Khan was involved in four contract marriages and was arrested by the Rajendranagar police.

            The DCP said Qazi Habeeb Ali of Hyderabad performed the marriage of minor girl with an old age person and involved in trafficking the minor girl to Oman. Another Qazi Ali Abdullah Rafia of Tallabkatta, who is being looked out for some information is absconding.

            Deputy Commissioner of Police (south) formed three teams and conducted raids on lodges F.K.Plaza, Ghalib residency, M.J. Anas Guest House, Wincity Developer and hotels in Chandrayangutta under the leadership ACP Falaknuma Mohammed Tajuddin Ahmed and one Oman National Al Mayahi Habib Ali Issa was caught redhanded while he was about to marry a 15 years old.

Police opened suspect sheets against 38 local brokers, four lodge owners and Qazis. All the brokers, suspected lodges/ guest houses, offices of suspected Qazis and other identified places and persons are being geo-tagged with co-ordinates).

The City Police was asking the Minorities Welfare Department to issue guidelines for foreign nationals, who are marrying Hyderabadi girls to curb child marriages. The police said foreigners must bring NOCs from their countries; the gap between husband and wife should not be more than ten years; a foreigner intending to marry an Indian girl shall submit his country’s NOC and apply to the Commissioner of Police of the city / Superintendent of Police of the district in writing, one month before the intended marriage with the details of the bride to be; the bridegroom shall deposit Rs 10 lakh in the name of the bride to be; if any person including the Qazi, is found infringing these conditions shall be liable for criminal action under IPC 120 B & other relevant Penal sections.

Check Also

Asia human trafficking now a global crisis: Interpol

29-03-2024 SINGAPORE: Organized crime rings who fueled an “explosion” of human trafficking and cyber scam …