A chilling case of sexual assault, blackmail, and alleged religious coercion at a private engineering college in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, has sent shockwaves across India, drawing disturbing parallels to the infamous 1992 Ajmer sex scandal. The National Commission for Women (NCW) has released a damning report following its investigation from May 3 to 5, 2025, revealing evidence of coercion for religious conversion and the potential involvement of an organized criminal network. The case, which came to light in April 2025 after a 19-year-old student filed a complaint, involves a gang of college students who allegedly drugged, raped, and filmed female students, using the videos to blackmail them into introducing more victims. With seven survivors identified, five accused arrested, and a sixth still at large, the Bhopal police and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) are intensifying efforts to unravel the full extent of this heinous operation. The case has ignited political outrage, communal tensions, and calls for systemic reforms to protect women and ensure justice.
The Case Unfolds: A Pattern of Predatory Exploitation
The Bhopal sexual assault case came to public attention on April 17, 2025, when a 19-year-old student from Betul, studying at TIT College on Raisen Road, lodged a complaint at Bag Sewania police station. She alleged that Farhan Ali, a fellow student, lured her into a relationship under a false identity in 2022, raped her at a residence in Jahangirabad, and recorded the assault. The videos were used to blackmail her into introducing her friends, including her younger sister, to his associates, who then subjected them to similar assaults. The police seized Farhan’s phone, uncovering obscene videos, including one showing a victim being burned with a cigarette, and evidence that he organized the videos in specific folders. The investigation revealed that Farhan and his associates targeted vulnerable female students, particularly those from other cities or orphan backgrounds, who had less familial oversight.
By April 25, three Zero FIRs were registered at Bag Sewania, Jahangirabad, and Ashoka Garden police stations under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the Information Technology (IT) Act, and the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 2021. The charges include rape, gang rape, kidnapping, blackmail, and violations related to forced religious conversion. Five survivors have come forward, with a sixth receiving counseling due to fear of social stigma, and a seventh victim lodged a complaint on April 30, alleging rape by Farhan and another accused, Ali, in the Ashoka Garden area. The police have arrested five suspects—Farhan Ali, Sahil Khan, Mohammad Saad, Sayyed Ali, and a fifth unnamed individual—while two others, Abrar and Nabeel, remain at large. A reward has been announced for information leading to the sixth accused’s arrest.
The Modus Operandi: Deception, Drugs, and Blackmail
The gang, led by Farhan Ali, employed a systematic approach to target Hindu female students. The accused, mostly Muslim youths from West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh, allegedly used fake identities to befriend victims through social media or mutual connections. After gaining trust, they lured victims to secluded locations such as rented rooms, hookah lounges, or pubs, where they were plied with intoxicants like marijuana and alcohol. Some victims reported being forced to consume meat, particularly mutton, which was religiously offensive to them, as part of the coercion process. The assaults were recorded, and the videos were used to blackmail victims into compliance, including introducing other female students to the gang. Survivors also alleged pressure to convert to Islam and marry their assailants, with threats of public exposure if they resisted.
Gruesome details emerged from the investigation, including reports of rapes inside moving vehicles under threat of weapons and victims being drugged to break their resistance. Sahil Khan, a college dropout from Panna, Madhya Pradesh, allegedly offered fake dance classes to target poor girls from rural areas, spiking their drinks to facilitate assaults. One survivor recounted being drugged with a marijuana-laced cigarette and raped, with the act filmed for further blackmail. Farhan reportedly showed no remorse during interrogation, describing his actions as a “virtuous act” and admitting to forming a group of Muslim boys to target Hindu girls, a statement that has fueled communal tensions.
NCW’s Investigation: Coercion and Criminal Networks
The NCW took suo motu cognizance of the case on May 3, 2025, forming a three-member inquiry committee led by retired IPS officer Nirmal Kaur, alongside Advocate Nirmala Nayak and Under Secretary Ashutosh Pandey. The committee visited Bhopal from May 3 to 5, meeting survivors, their families, police officials, and college representatives. Their report, submitted to Madhya Pradesh Governor Mangubhai Patel and Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, highlighted coercion for religious conversion and the potential involvement of an organized criminal network. The NCW noted that the accused, despite modest economic backgrounds, led extravagant lifestyles, suggesting possible links to drug trafficking or external funding. The committee urged a statewide investigation to explore these connections and recommended that the media portray survivors as “Real Bravehearts” while protecting their identities.
The NCW also flagged lapses in institutional accountability, noting that colleges failed to comply with the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013 (PoSH Act). It called for mandatory compliance reports, training for Internal Complaints Committees, prominent display of helpline numbers, and better record-keeping of attendance and dropouts, especially in institutions receiving government scholarships.
Police and NHRC Involvement
The Bhopal police, under Commissioner Harinarayanchari Mishra, formed multiple SITs, led by Inspector General Abhay Singh, to probe the case thoroughly. On May 3, Farhan Ali was shot in the leg while allegedly attempting to snatch a sub-inspector’s pistol during an evidence collection trip in Bilkisganj, under Ratibad police station. He is currently hospitalized, while his accomplices Saad, Sahil, Sayyed Ali, and a fifth accused are in custody. The police are investigating potential links to similar crimes in Indore, suggesting a broader network.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), led by member Priyank Kanoongo, has also intervened, seeking an action report from Bhopal police due to concerns over delays in registering initial complaints. Kanoongo noted that the victims, many of whom are orphans, were specifically targeted for their vulnerability, highlighting a systemic failure in protecting marginalized students. The NHRC plans to send a team to Bhopal to investigate further and ensure victim protection and rehabilitation.
Communal Tensions and Media Criticism
The case has sparked significant communal unrest, with Hindu organizations staging protests at 26 locations in Bhopal on May 3, labeling the incidents as “love jihad.” Chief Minister Mohan Yadav condemned the crimes, vowing that the state would not tolerate “jihad or love jihad” and promising severe punishment. BJP MLA Rameshwar Sharma called the case a “conspiracy like Kerala Story,” demanding public punishment, while Minister Vishwas Kailash Sarang assured that the SIT would uncover all aspects of the scandal. However, these statements have drawn criticism for inflaming communal sentiments.
Local media, particularly Hindi dailies like Dainik Bhaskar and Nav Duniya, have faced accusations of sensationalism. A complaint filed at Aishbagh police station and sent to the Press Council of India and National Commission for Minorities alleged that these outlets published misleading headlines targeting the Muslim community, such as “Bhopal Ubla” (Bhopal boiling), following a May 2 incident where lawyers attacked the accused in court. Senior journalist Ajith Singh criticized the media for abandoning ethics, arguing that framing the crimes as “Muslim raping Hindu women” shifts focus from justice to communal hatred. Muslim community leaders in Bhopal condemned the crimes but emphasized that Islam does not support such acts, urging punishment based on law, not religion.
Parallels to the Ajmer Scandal
The Bhopal case has drawn comparisons to the 1992 Ajmer sex scandal, where a group of men, including influential figures linked to the Ajmer Sharif Dargah, raped and blackmailed around 100 schoolgirls, using compromising photos to perpetuate the abuse. In 2024, a POCSO court sentenced six additional men to life imprisonment in the Ajmer case, bringing renewed attention to the Bhopal scandal’s similarities: systematic targeting, blackmail with explicit material, and allegations of religious coercion. The Ajmer case also sparked religious tensions, a pattern echoed in Bhopal’s current unrest.
Broader Implications: Safety, Justice, and Reform
The Bhopal case exposes critical gaps in campus safety, institutional accountability, and societal attitudes toward women. The NCW’s recommendations for PoSH Act compliance and better oversight in colleges highlight the need for systemic reforms to protect vulnerable students. The targeting of orphans and out-of-state students underscores the importance of robust support systems, including counseling and helplines, to prevent exploitation. The NHRC’s focus on victim rehabilitation emphasizes the state’s responsibility to ensure justice and safety.
The communal framing of the case, amplified by media and political rhetoric, risks derailing the pursuit of justice. Survivors and advocates argue that the focus should remain on the crimes themselves, not the religious identities of the accused or victims. NCRB data shows that women face everyday violence across contexts, often within their own communities, challenging narratives like “love jihad” that obscure systemic issues of patriarchy and exploitation.
Looking Ahead: A Long Road to Justice
As the SIT and NCW continue their investigations, the focus remains on apprehending the remaining accused and uncovering any broader criminal networks. The police’s announcement of a reward for the sixth accused and ongoing counseling for a potential sixth victim suggest that more revelations may emerge. The case’s outcome will test Madhya Pradesh’s commitment to justice, with Chief Minister Yadav promising stringent action. For the survivors, dubbed “Real Bravehearts” by the NCW, the path to healing and justice is fraught with challenges, but their courage in coming forward has sparked a national conversation about safety, accountability, and the need to confront crime without communal bias.
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