|
Hyderabad: With the
arrest of two Sudanese nationals, the Hyderabad police have busted
another racket in contract marriages of poor Muslim girls to
foreign nationals.
Police also arrested two 'qazis' (Islamic judges) who illegally
performed the marriages and two pimps who would lure parents of
poor and illiterate girls into such deals.
This is the second such racket busted by the police in three days.
In the first case Sunday, police arrested a qazi for forcing a
minor girl to marry an Arab national.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (south zone) Vineet Brijlal told
reporters Tuesday that in the latest case two Sudanese nationals,
both staying in Hyderabad on student visas, were arrested
following a complaint by a minor girl.
Identified as Mohammed Elshafie Mohammed Elhassan, 25, and Khaled
Elrashid Khalid, 27, the two have been charged under various
sections relating to sex with minor girl, kidnapping for forcible
marriage and cheating.
Nousheen Begum, 16, told police that she was forcibly married to
Elhassan on June 9 at the behest of her parents. At the time of
the marriage performed by two qazis, she was shown as a major and
her thumb impression was forcibly taken on blank bond papers so
that they can later create "Qula nama" (or divorce executed by the
wife in favour of husband).
Police arrested Elhassan on charges of having sex with a minor
while his friend and roommate Khalid was taken into custody for
misbehaving with her.
The Sudanese bridegroom told police that he entered into a
contract marriage with the girl for enjoyment and had no plans of
taking her to Sudan after completing his studies.
Two pimps, Zahra Begum and Ghousia Begum, both aged 40, were
luring parents of poor minor Muslim girls into performing a
marriage with foreigners. They had taken Rs.50,000 from Sudanese
for his contract marriage.
Qazi Syed Shakeeluddin and his assistant Syed Abdul Malik were
also arrested for performing the marriage of a minor girl with a
foreigner and forcibly taking her signature.
The incident came to light two days after police in the old city
arrested a qazi, Ali Abdullah Rafai, for forcing a minor to marry
an Arab. He had offered Rs.4 lakh to a 17-year-old girl's aunt for
the marriage. As the girl's aunt backtracked, the qazi and his
assistant and son threatened to kill her and her niece.
The qazi allegedly performed several contract marriages between
poor Muslim girls and the old and physically challenged Arabs or
Indians of Arab origin.
The 53-year-old qazi was reportedly taking signatures of the
brides and their parents on the divorce papers even before
performing the marriages.
The police official attributed the increasing number of such cases
to poverty and illiteracy and appealed to parents to be careful
while performing marriages of their daughters with foreigners.
|
Comments
|
Quick links