A chilling case of alleged organised sexual assault and blackmail has emerged from TIT College on Raisen Road, sending shockwaves across Bhopal and drawing disturbing parallels to the infamous Ajmer rape scandal of 1992. Authorities have arrested two main accused, Farhan Khan, a student of the college, and Mohammad Saad, a private employee, following the courageous act of a 20-year-old student who filed a police complaint. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to thoroughly investigate the deeply concerning allegations.
The victim, hailing from Betul, registered an FIR on April 17, 2025, at the Baghsewania police station, recounting a horrifying ordeal that began in 2022. She alleged that Farhan Khan lured her into a "love trap" and subsequently took her to his friend Hameed's residence in Jahangirabad where she was raped. Disturbingly, an obscene video of the assault was reportedly recorded and used to blackmail her into further sexual exploitation. The victim further revealed that Farhan also used the same blackmail tactics to victimize her sister. It was upon discovering pornographic videos of other girls on Farhan's phone that she resolved to approach the police.
Initial police investigations have unveiled a disturbing pattern, suggesting that the accused were systematically targeting Hindu female students. Sources indicate that victims were allegedly given intoxicants such as marijuana and alcohol and were coerced into consuming meat, particularly mutton. Some victims have also alleged pressure for religious conversion. Two sisters from Betul testified that Farhan and his associates plied them with marijuana, forced them to eat meat, and then handed them over to other members of the gang for sexual exploitation. The trauma inflicted was so severe that one victim reportedly discontinued her studies in her third year.
The gravity of the situation prompted swift action from the Bhopal Police, leading to the registration of three FIRs across Bagsevania, Ashoka Garden, and Jahangirabad police stations. The charges include sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the Information Technology (IT) Act, and the Madhya Pradesh Religious Freedom Act. Counselling is currently underway for a fourth victim, which may lead to the filing of an additional FIR.
DCP Zone-2 Sanjay Agarwal confirmed the alarming nature of the case, stating, "A zero FIR has been registered in Bagsevania police station on the complaint of a minor victim. Action has been initiated under POCSO and rape sections. Blackmailing has been confirmed through the video, and the SIT is investigating it thoroughly so that all the culprits can be arrested." He further drew a stark comparison to the 1992 Ajmer rape case, where a gang similarly entrapped female students, created compromising videos, and used them for blackmail and further exploitation. Police have recovered obscene videos of approximately 10 to 15 other girls from the mobile phones of the arrested accused, which are currently under forensic analysis by the cyber team.
The unfolding scandal has ignited political outrage. Bhopal BJP MLA Rameshwar Sharma has vehemently condemned the incident, labelling it a "conspiracy like Kerala Story" and demanding public punishment for the accused. He questioned why the accused were being held in private, advocating for public retribution. Madhya Pradesh government minister Vishwas Kailash Sarang assured that the police acted swiftly in apprehending the accused and that the SIT will uncover every aspect of the conspiracy, emphasizing that "acts like love jihad will not be tolerated in Madhya Pradesh."
The investigation is ongoing, with the SIT working to identify all individuals involved and to provide justice to the victims of this heinous crime that has brought back haunting memories of a past atrocity.
