Two days after a ‘journalist’ was taken into custody following a complaint of rape, blackmailing and extortion, Jammu and Kashmir Police have arrested second person in the case in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, sources said on Monday.
Sources told local news agency that the second person identified as Salman Shah, a close friend of Nadeem Ahmed Ganie was arrested by a special team of Srinagar police. Shah is working as a ‘journalist’ in a local weekly newspaper.
A press release from Srinagar District Police on Saturday said that “self-proclaimed journalist” Nadeem Ahmed Ganie @Nadeem Nadu of Anantnag had been arrested in a rape case. It said that the complaint against him had been filed by a girl who alleged that the accused had forced her into a sexual relationship after she was deceived and drugged inside a house at Northern Foreshore Road near Shalimar in July 2020. “The victim also alleged that the accused took her objectionable pictures after sedating her and used these to blackmail her into forced sexual intercourse many times”, it added.
The victim was a student in an institution in central Kashmir at the time of the occurrence of this crime. Case FIR no 50/22 under sections 376,384,506 of IPC has been registered in Women Police Station, Srinagar. In view the heinous nature of the crime, an SIT headed by Deputy SP Headquarters Owais Wani and comprising Deputy SP Ms Sleet Shah, SHO Women Police Station Inspector Khalida Parveen and ASI Mohammad Yousuf Shah as members has been constituted, police said.
Sources revealed that the complainant, who was a 25-year-old student in 2020 and is now holding a junior faculty position in a university, has also alleged that her sexploitation extended to the journalists’ officer-friends. She has mentioned a ‘40-45 year old officer’ but not identified him by name. According to her she was also offered to more of the scribe’s officer-friends. Sources said that the SIT would reach the roots of the charges and arrest “everybody, however influential” in case the complainant’s accusations were corroborated with any substantial evidence.
According to the complaint on which the FIR is based, the university student fell in the trap when the accused flashed on social media that he would help if anybody needed help during a Covid lockdown in July 2020. She sought some help from the accused who drove all the way to Ganderbal with an unidentified accomplice. He told the complainant that he was going to pick up another girl student from a house.
“I went there and saw one more person with him who was having brown beard and was 25 or 26 years old. We started travelling and they were busy with each other. My phone was not charged that time. 6.35 p.m, we were on Foreshore Road and suddenly they moved the car towards wrong direction and said that another girl student is waiting there”, says the complaint.
“We reached there. Then the brown bearded boy said that “Ma’am the girl is changing her clothes, so you can come for 10 minutes and charge your phone. I went to the lobby of the house and started charging my phone. Then a watchman came with a tray and Nadeem picked that tray from door. I saw coffee and pakodas. They insisted me and when I ate those pakodas I felt dizziness.”
“After some time, when I opened my eyes, I was lying on the bed with a pain in my body and I started moving my arm so that I can find my watch and it was 8.00 p.m. I got shocked that I was unconscious from last 70 minutes. I saw my clothes near bed and I was naked. That time I realised that I have been brutally raped”.
“This was not easy for me. Nadeem came and said, “Are you alright sexy” and started laughing. He dropped at 10 O’clock. That time he said “Aana tumhari marzi se tha, ab aage mai decide karunga”. At 10.15 p.m. he started video calling me again and again. I told him that I don’t want to talk, but then he sent a picture of mine without clothes. He started talking dirty about me and ordered me to open clothes. I was shocked, alone and scared. That time I though this is my last day of life. But he said “if you even try to commit suicide, then I will bang your family and nobody can save them”. I told him that I will file a complaint. He said “Mujhe yeh dhamki matt dou. Peon se le ke PM tak sab meri jeb mai hain. Ulta faso gi. Sare officers suggestion le te hain (mujh se)”. Then he said “OK, pay me 5 lakh, I will delete everything”.
Her complaint goes on: “I was having no option. I was not able to share this with anyone. He was continuously blackmailing me and I lost my paper also. Then he started video calling and again ordered me to open clothes. He also said “on 15th July reach Khannabal sharp 10 O’clock. My friend who was with me last time will pick you. You have to meet with a special person. Otherwise I will disclose (expose?) you. I did the same. On 15th, the brown bearded boy came and picked me from Khannabal. Then we went to the same place. There was one officer who was approximately 40-45 years old. He started harassing me and then threw me out. I always used to make them understand about humanity but they never cared.”
“In the month of August, whenever he wanted he used to video call and then start doing dirty. On 28th September (2020), he texted me as I was in Wave Mall (Jammu) with my friends. He said he is waiting in café with 2 persons who are high level officers. Then he again started blackmailing. He said that if I will not go there, then he will share everything with them. I started begging him. I went there and he said “you have 2 options. One option is you have to spend 2 nights with the 2 persons. They will help me and give me the golden opportunity of a reasonable job with a healthy salary. 2nd option is you have to pay me 2 lakh.”
“I chose 2nd option. I went to Kashmir next day and I gave him my gold which was the whole saving of my family for me including 5 coins, 1 bangle and 2 rings. Then he was continuously torturing me by video calls. I was helpless and I was not having any other option”, she has complained.
“After some time I heard news about his marriage. It was 5th December (2020) when I came to know about this. I texted him but from his side his wife started giving me replies. I told her everything in nutshell. But she started blaming me and said, “My husband is a diamond. Every officer respects him and follows him”. I tried a lot but she didn’t understand. Finally it was 13th December, Sunday, and I was in Ganderbal. He called me on WhatsApp and I got scared again. I didn’t receive (respond to?) his call. Then he said to meet me in Dargah (Hazratbal?) at sharp 12 O’ Clock. He said he is busy with his marriage now and then promised that he will delete everything. I went there and he deleted everything. But I told him “you have made my life hell. You have done every bad thing with me. I have been raped by you and your so-called officers. Now I am nothing. I have lost my everything, especially my future. I tried to commit suicide more than five times. You are responsible for everything” reads her complaint.
If sources are to be believed the investigation of this case is going on in full swing and all the accused persons who are believed to be involved will be booked under relevant section of law.
Meanwhile, people from across the valley have appreciated ADGP Vijay Kumar and SSP Srinagar Rakesh Bhalwal for the prompt action within stipulated time. (KDC)
