Uttar Pradesh (UP) police embarked on a mission to apprehend a former Samajwadi Party (SP) leader, Asif Siddiqui (50), who has been evading law enforcement for two years. The UP police traveled to Mumbai in pursuit of Siddiqui, but their efforts to locate him yielded no success. Consequently, they affixed a court-issued notice outside his office. An ultimatum was issued, stipulating that Siddiqui must surrender by September 12; failure to comply would result in the confiscation of his assets.
The Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad) police initiated this pursuit due to Siddiqui's alleged criminal activity involving a minor girl. Inspector Mohammad Akram Khan, part of the UP police team dispatched to Mumbai, provided insights into the case. According to Khan, Siddiqui had established a relationship with a minor girl from Prayagraj, engaging in video calls with her. During these calls, Siddiqui discreetly captured an explicit image of the victim.
Siddiqui proceeded to share the compromising photo with the victim's mother via WhatsApp and initiated a blackmail scheme, demanding financial compensation. Threatening to circulate the explicit image of her daughter, Siddiqui coerced the victim's mother to comply with his monetary demands.
Following the victim's family's complaint, an FIR (First Information Report) was registered at Cantt Police Station. The charges against Siddiqui encompassed offenses related to the modesty of a woman, criminal intimidation, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and the Information Technology Act.
Inspector Khan detailed that despite the registration of the FIR, Siddiqui evaded both the investigating officer and court appearances. Consequently, a non-bailable warrant was issued against him by the court.
The combined efforts of the UP police and local Mumbai police to locate Siddiqui on his office premises proved futile. They issued a court-authorized notice, setting a deadline for Siddiqui's surrender by September 12. The notice explicitly warned of property confiscation in the event of non-compliance.
Siddiqui, a resident of South Mumbai's Pathanwadi area, managed to elude the police's pursuit despite thorough searches conducted in JJ Marg and Byculla Police Station areas.
The victim, a minor, is the daughter of an advocate associated with the Allahabad High Court. Siddiqui, also hailing from Allahabad, was known to the girl's family. He exploited his familiarity with them to manipulate her into compromising video conversations and precarious positions, ultimately leading to these serious legal repercussions.
