The Vasai Sessions Court denied anticipatory bail for Imaduddin Irfan Shaikh, accused of targeting unmarried women on matrimonial sites for money and blackmail. His patterns of harassment, fraud, and attempted sexual assault were highlighted, emphasizing the need for custodial interrogation and ongoing investigation due to the serious nature of the charges and substantial evidence against him.
Vasai: The Vasai Sessions Court has denied anticipatory bail to Imaduddin Irfan Shaikh, a man accused of targeting unmarried women on matrimonial websites to extract money and blackmail them with compromising material. The court observed that the accused had a habitual pattern of harassing such women, making his actions a part of a well-established modus operandi. Shaikh faces charges of harassment, fraud, and attempted sexual assault under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS).
The case against Shaikh began when a medical practitioner came forward with a complaint. According to the complainant, she met Shaikh on a matrimonial platform, where the accused allegedly misrepresented himself by hiding his marital status and the fact that he had a child. After discovering his deceit, the woman severed ties with him, but the harassment did not stop there.
The prosecution claimed that Shaikh began to harass the complainant through WhatsApp calls and threatened to release her private photographs on social media.
In June, the situation escalated further when the accused forcefully entered the complainant’s car, attempted sexual assault, and threatened her with a revolver-like instrument. He reportedly also forbade her from marrying anyone else and continued his harassment in the days leading up to the filing of the FIR.
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The police report revealed that Shaikh has a history of similar offenses. He had previously targeted a bank employee, and his fraudulent activities extended beyond this case. During the investigation, it was discovered that he had also misrepresented himself as a police officer and displayed a fake judicial department signage on his vehicle. Additionally, Telangana Police had arrested him in a separate case involving fraud through another matrimonial site.
The court carefully reviewed the allegations and noted the seriousness of the charges. It highlighted the evidence, including witness statements and documents, which supported the complainant’s claims. The court observed that Shaikh’s actions displayed a clear pattern of targeting unmarried women, using deceit to exploit them for money and blackmailing them with compromising material.
Additional Sessions Judge Jayendra Jagdale emphasized the importance of custodial interrogation to uncover further details of Shaikh’s activities and prevent him from committing similar crimes in the future. The judge remarked that granting anticipatory bail at this stage could hinder the ongoing investigation and affect the collection of crucial evidence.
The court concluded that anticipatory bail was unwarranted in this case, considering the grave nature of the accusations and the substantial evidence against the accused.
As the investigation continues, authorities hope to uncover more details about Shaikh’s criminal activities and bring him to justice, ensuring that similar offenses do not go unchecked.
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