SIT rules out ‘love jihad’ angle, books Nalasopara gym trainer in five rape cases

MUMBAI: A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar (MBVV) police has ruled out the ‘love jihad’ angle in the case against a 22-year-old Nalasopara gym trainer accused of rape, physical abuse and coercion to convert, but has booked him in five rape cases after multiple women came forward

MUMBAI: A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar (MBVV) police has ruled out the ‘love jihad’ angle in the case against a 22-year-old Nalasopara gym trainer accused of rape, physical abuse and coercion to convert, but has booked him in five rape cases after multiple women came forward.

Arif Ayub Shaikh was arrested on October 13 following a complaint by a 23-year-old woman. The police said their investigation, including an examination of his mobile phone, had led to five rape cases being registered against him on Monday.

“The SIT probe has ruled out the ‘love jihad’ angle, but we have booked Arif Shaikh in five rape cases,” Nikhit Kaushik, MBVV police commissioner, told HT.

The police recovered more than 100 explicit video clips from Shaikh’s phone, some of which may have been circulated abroad, officials said. The complainant alleged that he had lured 70 to 80 women into relationships, recorded intimate videos of them and sold the footage on pornographic websites.

The SIT was formed to investigate the allegations and verify the claims, given the large number of women who may have been targeted. Following the investigation, Shaikh’s mother, Ruksana, and cousin Sahil Shaikh were also named in the case.

According to the complainant, she met Arif on social media last year. He allegedly promised to marry her and later pressured her to live with him, during which he repeatedly forced her to have sexual relations with him.

She further alleged that Arif and his mother pressured her to convert her religion and assaulted her. His cousin, Sahil, allegedly attempted to sexually assault her.

The woman told the police that she later found videos on Arif’s mobile phone showing him engaging in sexual acts with several women. She subsequently approached local Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) functionaries for assistance before lodging a complaint with the Nalasopara police.

The complainant also alleged that Shaikh used Instagram to target Hindu women, establish relationships with them and record intimate videos without their knowledge or consent.