Cleric Wanted In Nagpur Case Involving Alleged Forced Conversion Of IAF Officer's Wife Arrested

Last Updated:June 18, 2026, 10:59 IST

The woman has accused her former classmate Ayaaz Madare and his associates of rape, blackmail, black magic and forcing her to convert

Nagpur Police have arrested a cleric from Madhya Pradesh in connection with the alleged forced conversion of a 24-year-old woman. Identified as Hazrat Maulana, the accused was wanted in the case and is alleged to have played a key role in the conversion and nikah.

The case, involving allegations of conversion and abuse made by the wife of an Air Force official, came to light earlier this week. The woman has accused her former classmate Ayaaz Madare and his associates of rape, blackmail, black magic and forcing her to convert, NDTV reported.

A video that surfaced on social media and sparked outrage purportedly showed a Muslim man holding the woman’s hands and chanting verses in Urdu. In the footage, the woman is seen crying and asking to be released.

“Chhodo Mujhe" (let me go), the woman is heard saying in the video as Ayaaz forcefully holds her hands while chanting religious verses and repeatedly blowing over her. The woman is seen struggling to break free. The woman alleges that she was subsequently declared “converted" and that an attempt was made to rape her thereafter.

The main accused, Ayaaz Madare (26), and his associate Ameen Shaikh are already in police custody.

According to the FIR, the incident dates back to February 8, 2025, when Ayaaz allegedly spiked the woman’s drink during a meeting at a hotel. After she regained consciousness, he allegedly used objectionable photos and videos to blackmail her, threatening to send them to her husband and circulate them on social media. The complainant alleged that she was repeatedly sexually assaulted and forced to part with around Rs 4 lakh, NDTV added.

The woman further alleged in the FIR that Ayaaz would often bring a plastic bottle with some liquid and force her to drink it. He would then allegedly mutter in Urdu, blow on her face, and claim it was “hypnosis and black magic" before raping her. The video allegedly shows a black magic or hypnosis ritual.

The complaint also mentions an incident on May 31, when Madare and Ameen Shaikh allegedly took the woman to Kalmeshwar. There, Hazrat Maulana, a resident of Tamia village in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district, allegedly conducted religious rituals and compelled her to say “qubool hai" against her wishes.

According to the woman, the cleric later declared that she had converted to Islam and that her nikah with Ayaaz had been solemnised.

Police said the interrogation of the arrested cleric could reveal further details. Investigators are expected to seek the nikahnama and examine whether additional people were involved or whether other women had faced similar allegations of forced conversion.

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