Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A Muslim man has been arrested by police in Bhopal for allegedly hiding his identity and marrying a Hindu woman under a false name on Sunday.
The case has been registered under the Religious Freedom Act.
According to police, the accused, Sohail Khan, introduced himself as "Rahul Sharma" on Instagram about three months ago and befriended a 19-year-old Hindu woman who lives alone in the Jhangariya Basti area.
Her parents are no more, and her uncle, who lives nearby, looks after her.
Over time, the online friendship turned into a romantic relationship. Sohail, working as a painter, rented a room near Nadra Bus Stand in Bhopal and started pressuring the girl for marriage. When she refused, he allegedly threatened to leak their personal chats. Afraid, she agreed to marry him.
On Thursday, Sohail took the girl to a local temple. As there was no priest present, they performed the marriage rituals themselves. He then moved into her house.
Later, the girl’s uncle asked him to show his identity documents. When he hesitated, the family became suspicious. After some pressure, Sohail confessed that his real name is Sohail Khan and that he is from Vidisha.
The girl’s relatives then informed members of a local right-wing group, who took Sohail to the police. Based on the girl’s statement, police registered a case and sent him to jail.
The case is being investigated by Sub-Inspector Kaushlendra Singh Baghel. Police say Sohail hid his religious identity to form a relationship and misled the girl into marriage.
