The Noida Police has arrested three people, including a woman, in connection with the alleged forced religious conversion and wedding of a married woman. The arrests were made under the Phase-3 police station limits, while two other accused, including the cleric who performed the wedding, are still on the run.
The action came after the victim’s family filed a habeas corpus petition (legal plea to secure the release of a person who is unlawfully detained) in the Allahabad High Court. Acting on court orders, police traced the woman to Chennai and presented her before the court on Monday.
The prime accused has been identified as Raja Miyan, alias Ehsan. His father Bismillah and mother Aneesha Begum are also accused in the case. Investigators allege that the trio forced the woman to convert and arranged for a fake marriage certificate.
The victim had been married in 2018 to a man from Kanpur Dehat. The couple had a son in 2019. Following marital disputes, she returned to her parental home in 2021 and began working at a garment factory in Noida’s Sector 63, where she came in contact with Raja Miyan of Bahlolpur, Ghaziabad. The two reportedly grew close.
After Raksha Bandhan last month, the woman went missing. Her family accused Raja Miyan of luring her away. Upset with police inaction, they approached the Allahabad High Court on August 22. On September 5, police rescued her from Chennai.
Investigations revealed that on May 1, cleric Mohammad Ajimuddin allegedly performed the marriage rituals at Raja Miyan’s home, despite the woman not being legally divorced from her husband.
DCP Central Noida Shakti Mohan Awasthi confirmed that Raja Miyan, his father, and mother have been sent to jail, while efforts are underway to nab the cleric and another absconding accused. Police have assured strict legal action against all involved.
