In the Ajmer 1992 Sex Scandal, the POCSO court delivered a historic verdict today, declaring six accused guilty. All the accused appeared before the court, which is set to announce the sentences at 2 pm on August 20. One of the accused remains at large.
The POCSO court found Nafis Chishti, Naseem alias Tarzan, Salim Chishti, Iqbal Bhati, Sohail Ghani, and Syed Jameen Hussain guilty of the crimes. In 1992, the accused gang-raped more than 100 girl students from Ajmer’s renowned Mayo College and blackmailed them using their photographs. Four other accused have already served their sentences. Following the guilty verdict, the police took all the accused into custody.
Rajasthan: In Ajmer's largest blackmail case, six accused, including Nafees Chishti and Naseem alias Tarzan, were found guilty by the Special POCSO Act Court. They blackmailed over 100 girls with obscene photos from 1992 pic.twitter.com/pqwkoPo1fk
— IANS (@ians_india) August 20, 2024
Four convicts in the case have already served their sentences. The initial chargesheet, filed on November 30, 1992, listed eight individuals. Later, four additional chargesheets were submitted, bringing the total number of accused to 12.
The primary accused, Farooq Chishti, served as the President of the Ajmer Youth Congress. Nafis Chishti held the position of Vice President of the Ajmer Indian National Congress, while Anwar Chishti was the Joint Secretary of the Ajmer Indian National Congress.
The scandal came to light through an article in a local newspaper. It revealed the sexual exploitation of schoolgirls by blackmailing them using nude photographs. The gang responsible for this influenced religious, political, social and economic fields. This revelation created an uproar across the country. It created an atmosphere of fear among government officials, police and members of social and religious organisations of the state.
Ajmer Police found young men from influential families of Khadims and caretakers of Sufi Moinuddin Hasan Chisti’s dargah involved in the scandal
The Ajmer District Police discovered that several affluent young men from the families of Khadims, the caretakers of the Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishti’s dargah, were involved in the scandal. The police also suspected high-ranking politicians and officials. Due to concerns about potential threats to peace and order in the city, the police initially hesitated to take action, facing significant pressure.
A subsequent news article titled “How the Blackmailers of Schoolgirls Remained Free” featured explicit photos, which further fueled public outrage. Protests demanding justice began, and Hindu organisations threatened to take matters into their own hands if legal action wasn’t taken against the perpetrators.
Under immense pressure, the Ajmer District Bar Association met with local authorities and suggested jailing the identified suspects under the National Security Act to calm public anger and prevent communal tensions. Eventually, the investigation was handed over to the CID CB.
This incident sparked a movement across Rajasthan, demanding the arrest and justice for the victims.
On May 30, 1992, the CID CB officially took over the investigation. The scandal involved influential individuals, including members of the Khadim Chishti families and the Youth Congress, exploiting schoolgirls. Explicit photos leaked from a photo lab drew attention to the crime.
Initially, the Ajmer District Police conducted the investigation, which senior IPS officer N.K. later oversaw. Patni. The harassment linked to this case led several people, including the photo lab owner and manager, to commit suicide. Several of the girls involved also ended their lives.
Despite decades of demands for justice by over 100 victims, many of the criminals were acquitted or released on bail. The case went through various courts, including the High Court, Supreme Court, Fast Track Court, and POCSO Court. However, for most victims, who are now in their 50s or 60s, justice remains elusive.
The film “Ajmer 92,” released in July 2023, depicts the true events of the rape, blackmail, and entrapment of 250 girls. Directed by Pushpendra Singh, it stars Karan Verma and Sumit Singh in lead roles. The film faced opposition from Muslim organizations, with the Khadim community accusing it of defamation, impacting the Rajasthan Assembly elections as well.
