37-yr-old arrested for abducting, repeatedly raping employee’s wife in Paharganj hotels

Police said the woman and her husband had known Ahmed for about three to four years and the husband worked with him in Ahmedabad last month.

A 20-year-old woman was allegedly abducted, confined, and raped over two days allegedly by her husband’s employer at two different hotels in central Delhi’s Paharganj area, police said on Wednesday. The crime came to light on Saturday after the woman managed to contact a hotel receptionist and sought help to file a police complaint.

For two days, the accused allegedly drugged, confined, and assaulted her, police said, quoting her complaint. (File photo)

The woman, a resident of Varanasi, alleged that the accused — identified as Sarfraz Ahmed, 37 — kept her locked in hotel rooms during the day and returned in the evenings to threaten and sexually assault her.

Police said the accused fled after she approached police but was traced to Rudrapur in Uttarakhand and was arrested on Monday. He has since been remanded in judicial custody and booked for abduction and rape.

Police said the woman and her husband had known Ahmed for about three to four years and the husband worked with him in Ahmedabad last month.

Nidhin Valsan, deputy commissioner of police (central), said, “According to the information we received, the victim and her husband travelled from Varanasi to Ahmedabad on June 29 in search of work. Ahmed then asked them to come to Delhi, promising a job for the husband. On July 2, he checked them into a hotel in Paharganj.”

The next day, Ahmed told the husband that he had arranged a factory job in Anand Vihar and sent him there, police said. On July 3, he reportedly offered another opportunity in Varanasi and sent the husband there.

“While the husband was away, Ahmed allegedly offered the woman food laced with sedatives. After she lost consciousness, he sexually assaulted her. He later shifted her to another hotel and raped her again. She told police she was unaware of the assault until she regained her senses,” said Valsan.

For two days, the accused allegedly drugged, confined, and assaulted her, police said, quoting her complaint.

“On July 5, the accused left her locked in the hotel room. The woman managed to reach the landline and call the hotel staff for help. They opened the door, rescued her, and assisted her in filing a complaint,” said a senior officer.

Ahmed reportedly realised police had been called when he saw hotel staff gathered outside the room. He fled and boarded a bus to Uttarakhand.

An FIR was registered on Saturday under sections 64 (rape) and 138 (abduction) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The woman was sent for medical examination, and police launched multiple raids to trace Ahmed. He was arrested from Rudrapur on Monday.