Mumbai, August 20: In a significant development in the Ajmer rape and blackmail case, a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) court in Rajasthan has sentenced six accused to life imprisonment. The court, presided over by Judge Ranjan Singh, handed down the sentences to Nafees Chishti, Naseem alias Tarzan, Salim Chishti, Iqbal Bhati, Sohail Gani, and Sayed Zameer Hussain. Each of the convicts was also fined INR 5 lakh. The Ajmer rape and blackmail case, infamous for its severity, first came to light in September 1992 when 18 serial offenders were charged.

Eight of these individuals were sentenced to life imprisonment in initial trials, though four were later acquitted by the Rajasthan High Court in 2001. In subsequent years, the case saw several twists, with Farooq Chishti, convicted in 2007, released on time served by the High Court in 2013. The recent sentencing brings renewed attention to this tragic episode, as the court's latest decision underscores the ongoing efforts to seek justice for the victims involved. Ajmer Blackmail Case: 6 Men Found Guilty in City's Largest Blackmailing Case, Over 100 Girls Were Blackmailed With Obscene Photos (Watch Video).

What is the Ajmer Rape and Blackmail Case?

The 32-year-old Ajmer rape and blackmail case is one of the most grievous criminal cases in Indian history, involving systematic sexual exploitation and blackmail spanning over three decades. The scandal emerged in 1992 when it was revealed that a gang had been blackmailing young girls from Sophia Senior Secondary School in Ajmer using obscene images. The victims, mostly girls aged between 11 and 20, were lured under various pretences and subjected to abuse at a farmhouse in the region. Ajmer Sex Scandal: POCSO Court Sentences 6 Convicts to Life Imprisonment for Raping, Blackmailing Over 100 Girls (Watch Video).

The criminal activities began when Chistee raped one of the students, took obscene images of her, and used those photos to blackmail her into introducing her classmates and friends, starting a chain of criminal activities. In this way, the gang led by Chistee and the  18 perpetrators, including members of the Khadim family, who were responsible for taking care of the Ajmer Sharif Dargah until 1992, and their associates obtained obscene images of around 250 girls after sexually assaulting them. They used these images to blackmail the victims, leading to the rape of over 100 girls. Reportedly, of these 250 victims, six of them died by suicide.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 20, 2024 06:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).