Cuttack: In a major achievement for the Odisha Police, a 45-year-old maulana, who had been on the run for over eight years after a woman accused him of raping her, has been arrested from Jamshedpur in Jharkhand.
The accused maulana, identified as Sk Najmul Arfin alias Hapiz, was apprehended by a team of Jagatpur police in Cuttack.
Police sources said the woman from Padmapur in Jagatpur had lodged a complaint on July 27, 2018, stating that her husband was an alcoholic and also suspected her character, which led to frequent disputes. Fed up with his drinking habit, she had sought the help of the maulana to get medicines to keep her husband away from alcohol.
The woman had alleged that Hapiz called her inside his room and forcefully raped her on the pretext of performing faith-healing rituals. He then threatened to kill her husband and children if she disclosed the matter and continued to rape her repeatedly.
Based on the complaint, a case was registered under section 376(2)(n) of IPC. However, the maulana fled the area and had been absconding since.
After prolonged efforts, police tracked his location to Jamshedpur. A team from Jagatpur police station proceeded to Jharkhand and succeeded in arresting him with the assistance of Jamshedpur police.
Police sources said the accused was working as a maulana at a mosque in Jamshedpur when police arrested him. He has been produced before the court of JMFC (Rural), Cuttack.
