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Bhigwan kidnapping case: Woman denies abduction
In her affidavit submitted to the police, woman from Bhigwan admitted to being in a relationship with the man and leaving home after disagreeing with the marriage plan arranged by her family
Pune: The 21-year-old woman and the alleged accused in the Bhigwan kidnapping case appeared at the Baramati City Police Station at around 1.30am on Friday. In her affidavit submitted to the police, the woman admitted to being in a relationship with the man and leaving home on February 17 after disagreeing with the marriage plan arranged by her family. She told the police of calling her friend from her brother’s mobile phone, asking him to come near the government guest house, and later leaving together.
According to the police, the woman after leaving home saw on social media that her mother had filed a complaint accusing the man of kidnapping her, threatening her family with wooden sticks, throwing chilli powder into the eyes of her mother and brother, and stealing a nose ring and a silver ring bought during shopping. The woman said the allegations, including throwing of chilli powder, are false and the complaint was filed by her family under someone’s influence or pressure.
Police, however, recovered a sample of chilli powder from the spot.
Meanwhile, the woman’s family filed a complaint at Bhigwan Police Station stating that their daughter was kidnapped in the Swami Chincholi area near Bhigwan while returning from shopping for her wedding. Police filed a kidnapping case against Zaheer Haroon Sheikh and Ayaan Haroon Sheikh, residents of the same locality as the woman.
The woman, a third-year pharmacy student from Bhigwan, lost her father during the Covid-19 pandemic. Sources said the woman’s family was preparing for her marriage, scheduled for February 22. Police sources confirmed that the woman and the man belong to different religious communities, a factor that contributed to tension in the area.
After the incident, members of some right-wing groups and residents gathered outside the police station seeking arrest of the suspect and the safe return of the woman. Protesters also blocked parts of the Pune–Solapur highway for some time, affecting traffic.
Later, a video went viral on social media in which the woman said she was not kidnapped but left with the suspect willingly.
Police officials said her statement was recorded before a magistrate, and the suspect was taken to an unknown location in a private vehicle for security reasons. After leaving Bhigwan, the woman and the man travelled through Shrigonda, Ahilyanagar, Shikrapur, Pune and Saswad before going to Mahabaleshwar. From Mahabaleshwar, they visited the Baramati police station.
Later in the afternoon, parents were allowed to meet her. Police said her mother, uncle and brothers tried to convince her to return home, but she refused.
Meanwhile, the woman’s mother told the media that the suspect took advantage of the fact that there are no older male members in their family. “My daughter has been under pressure for the past 12 years and is being blackmailed by Zaheer Sheikh,” she said.
Sandeep Gill, superintendent of police, Pune Rural, said, “Both the woman and the suspect have recorded their statements. The woman had earlier released a video explaining her side and we are investigating the case.”
