Hyderabad Marriage Racket: Main accused Qazi, Arab sheikhs arrested

Hyderabad: Continuing their crackdown on the child bride marriage racket, the Hyderabad Police nabbed a Qazi and three more sheikhs from Arab in connection with the case.

As per a report, the Qazi is believed to be the main accused in the child bride racket case.

On September 20, the police busted a marriage racket in the city and arrested eight sheikhs and four Muslim clerics for being part of the plot. The arrested sheikhs hail from Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar.

The clerics were held on the charges of cheating innocent girls in the name of marriage.

According to police, the sheikhs from Saudi Arabia had married two minor girls – Falakhnuma and Chandrayan Gutta – on a contract basis.

The police also arrested four lodge owners and five marriage brokers in connection with the case.

Days later, chief Qazi of Mumbai, Fareed Ahmed Khan, was also detained by the police for allegedly providing marriage certificate for the minor girl which helped an Omani sheikh to obtain a visa.

Several marriage rackets have been busted in the past by the police in Hyderabad which reportedly persuades girl’s parents to get them married to sheikhs on a contractual basis by offering money.

—PTI