TNFIn a significant development in the 1992 Ajmer rape and blackmail case, a POCSO court has sentenced six more individuals to life imprisonment. The convicted are Nafees Chishti, Naseem alias Tarzan, Salim Chishti, Iqbal Bhati, Sohail Ghani, and Syed Zameer Hussain. Each has also been fined ₹5 lakh.
The case, which shocked Ajmer and beyond, involved the blackmail and sexual exploitation of over 100 girls. The victims, aged between 11 and 20, were coerced using explicit photographs. Some of the accused had connections to influential families and political figures, including ties to the Sufi shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti.
The scandal came to light in April 1992 thanks to local journalist Santosh Gupta, who exposed the case after obtaining leaked photos from a photo lab. These images had been used to blackmail the victims.
Earlier convictions in 1998 had sentenced eight individuals to life imprisonment, but some were later acquitted on appeal. The Supreme Court reduced the sentences for the remaining convicted to ten years. Six individuals are still on trial, and one, Almas Maharaj, remains a fugitive with a CBI red corner notice issued against him.
The case has had a lasting impact on the community, with significant unrest and protests in Ajmer. Many victims faced intense stigma and pressure, leading to retracted testimonies and complicating the pursuit of justice.
