‘Khadims’ of dargah, including ex-Congressman among 6 convicted in landmark ruling

Ajmer Gangrape Case 1992

New Delhi. In a landmark ruling, the POCSO court delivered a historic verdict in the notorious Ajmer 1992 Sex Scandal, finding six individuals guilty of heinous crimes. The accused, Nafis Chishti, Naseem alias Tarzan, Salim Chishti, Iqbal Bhati, Sohail Ghani, and Syed Jameen Hussain, were present in court when the verdict was announced. However, one of the accused remains at large.

This case, which dates back to 1992, involved the gang-rape of over 100 girl students from Ajmer’s prestigious Mayo College. The perpetrators blackmailed their victims using compromising photographs, an act that sent shockwaves across the nation. Following today’s guilty verdict, all the accused were taken into custody by the police.

According to the available information, a total of 18 individuals were implicated in the sex scandal that took place 32 years ago. Out of these, nine have already been sentenced, one accused committed suicide, and another was later charged by the court for molesting a boy. The court had previously declared one of the accused as a fugitive. Today, the remaining accused have been found guilty by the court.

It’s important to note that six of the accused completed their trial in July of this year. The verdict was initially scheduled to be announced on August 8 but was postponed, with the court now delivering its decision. Eight of the accused who were sentenced to life imprisonment in the case had earlier appealed the verdict in the High Court. In 2001, the High Court acquitted four of the accused, while upholding the sentences for the other four.

The four convicted individuals subsequently appealed to the Supreme Court. In 2003, the Supreme Court reduced their sentences from life imprisonment to 10 years. Since the accused had already served 10 years in prison, they were released from jail following the Supreme Court’s ruling.

Among the primary accused was Farooq Chishti, who held the position of President of the Ajmer Youth Congress at the time. Nafis Chishti was the Vice President of the Ajmer Indian National Congress, while Anwar Chishti served as the Joint Secretary of the Ajmer Indian National Congress. The involvement of such politically connected individuals added another layer of complexity to the case.

The scandal was first exposed by a local newspaper, which published an article revealing the systematic sexual exploitation and blackmail of schoolgirls using nude photographs. The scandal had far-reaching implications, as it implicated individuals with significant influence in religious, political, social, and economic spheres. The revelations led to widespread outrage and fear, particularly among government officials, the police, and members of social and religious organisations in Rajasthan.

The Ajmer District Police discovered that several affluent young men from families associated with the Khadims, the caretakers of the Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishti’s dargah, were involved in the scandal. The police also suspected that high-ranking politicians and officials were complicit. Initially, the authorities were reluctant to take action due to concerns about potential unrest in the city and the pressure exerted by influential figures.

A subsequent news article, titled “How the Blackmailers of Schoolgirls Remained Free,” featured explicit photographs, further inflaming public anger. Protests erupted across the state, with Hindu organisations threatening to take matters into their own hands if the perpetrators were not brought to justice.

Under mounting pressure, the Ajmer District Bar Association intervened, meeting with local authorities and recommending that the suspects be detained under the National Security Act to quell public anger and prevent communal tensions. Eventually, the investigation was transferred to the CID CB.

This scandal sparked a movement across Rajasthan, with demands for the arrest and punishment of those responsible. On May 30, 1992, the CID CB officially took over the investigation. The case involved influential individuals, including members of the Khadim Chishti families and the Youth Congress, who were accused of exploiting schoolgirls. The crime was brought to light after explicit photographs leaked from a photo lab.

The initial investigation was conducted by the Ajmer District Police, and was later overseen by senior IPS officer N.K. Patni. The harassment and threats associated with this case led several individuals, including the owner and manager of the photo lab, to commit suicide. Tragically, several of the girls involved in the case also took their own lives.

Despite decades of efforts to secure justice for over 100 victims, the case has seen numerous setbacks, with many of the accused being acquitted or released on bail. The case has been heard in various courts, including the High Court, Supreme Court, Fast Track Court, and now the POCSO Court. For most of the victims, who are now in their 50s or 60s, justice remains elusive.