‘Cleric’ charged with alleged multiple rape of woman: police

Budaun (UP): A man who claimed to be a cleric at a ‘dargah’ here has been charged after a woman alleged that he raped her multiple times on the pretext of ‘curing’ her mental illness, the Police on Tuesday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Alok Mishra said that the woman, a resident of Bijnor who often came to the famous dargah of ‘Bade Sarkar’ on Budaun-Delhi road in Sadar Kotwali for ‘treatment’, had lodged an application with the Chief Commissioner of Police Alok Priyadarshi claiming this Maulvi Rahat

lured her in the name of treatment and took her to his room where she was raped. The accused also made objectionable videos, she alleged.

Rahat, she alleged, ran a shop in the dargah premises selling offerings like ‘Chunni’ and ‘Chadar’. The dargah management committee did not respond to media queries on the issue. According to Mishra, the woman alleged that Rahat “took her to his room every day in the name of treatment and raped her”.

An alleged video of such an incident surfaced online, police said. He said an FIR has been registered against Rahat in this connection and an investigation is underway.