In a landmark judicial ruling, thousands of children in Jammu and Kashmir’s northern district Sopore finally received justice after enduring three decades of physical abuse and sexual harassment by a 70-year-old self-proclaimed imam.
On the chief judicial magistrate court (CJM) Sopore on February 17 court convicted the self proclaimed imam identified as Ajaz Sheikh, known locally as “Peer Baba” for sexual abuse against several minor boys and girls, spanning over 30 years.
Sheikh pretended to be an Imam while also posing as a Quran teacher and holy healer to deceive people and hide his heinous criminal activities for decades.
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Court ruling of the Imam
Sheikh received a prison sentence of 14 years after judges declared seven-year prison terms for two victims which would be served consecutively. The self-proclaimed imam was also ordered to pay a fine of Rs 50,000 to each victim, who is also entitled to seek further compensation.
Public prosecutor Naila Noor confirmed that CJM Sopore delivered the verdict based on vital evidence presented during the trial proceedings.
“The chief judicial magistrate court convicted Aijaz Ahmad Sheikh, a self-proclaimed faith under Section 377 of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) for repeatedly sexually abusing minors over a decade,” said Noor.
‘Raped 500 times in three years’, victim’s chilling revelation
Victims’ testimonies revealed the horrific nature of the self-proclaimed imam’s abuse. According to court evidence, a victim said Sheikh raped him over 500 times in three years, causing severe medical complications.
Sheikh also manipulated the minor boys and girls to perform intercourse while he watched them. Some victims were below ten years old. They also experienced physical abuse and sexual victimization.
Another victim revealed that the self-proclaimed imam was hired as a teacher for children to teach the Quran.
He told parents that there was black magic in their family and claimed that children under 12 needed to remain with him to interact with jins and perform healings. “He took advantage of this vulnerable situation to abuse the children sexually and I became one of his victims,” said the minor victim.
‘Imam used threats to silence victims’
The first FIR against Sheikh was submitted to authorities on March 2, 2016, which initiated his legal journey. The 2017 charge sheet initiated an extended legal process extending across more than nine years with different courts and prosecutors handling it.
The senior prosecuting officer Mirza Zahid Khalil explained during legal proceedings that the self-proclaimed imam used threats and intimidation tactics to prevent his victims from disclosing information.
The court’s verdict has brought great appreciation across the country as a vital advancement towards protecting victims who endured abuse in silence.
CJM Mir Wajahat acknowledged the strong evidence which proved the imam’s guilt beyond all doubt while praising his victims for their bravery during testimony about their traumatic experiences.
The court also directed legal aid to be provided to victims seeking further justice.
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