Love Jihad cases

Love Jihad cases refers to notable reported incidents in India where Muslim men have been accused of using romantic relationships or marriage to convert non-Muslim women to Islam, often with allegations of deception, coercion, or radicalisation. These cases remain highly controversial, with varying interpretations ranging from individual crimes to organised patterns.

Court Mentions of "Love Jihad"

The number of court documents (judgments and orders) mentioning the term "Love Jihad" across major Indian High Courts, based on available data from Indian Kanoon and related reports, has been steadily rising in India since 2023:

Year	All Courts	Kerala High Court	Allahabad High Court	Madhya Pradesh High Court	Karnataka High Court	Bombay High Court
2009	1	1	0	0	0	0
2012	1	0	0	0	1	0
2013	1	0	0	0	1	0
2014	1	0	0	0	0	0
2015	1	0	0	0	0	0
2017	2	1	0	0	0	0
2018	1	0	1	0	0	0
2019	1	0	0	1	0	0
2020	1	0	0	0	0	0
2021	3	0	0	0	2	0
2022	5	0	0	0	1	3
2023	6	0	0	2	2	2
2024	8	3	0	2	0	0
2025	16	10	2	4	0	0
2026	4	0	2	0	0	0

Notable Cases by Year

1992

• Ajmer Rape and Blackmailing Case (1990–1992): A series of gang rapes and systematic blackmailing of more than 100 school and college-going, aged 11 to 20, occurred in Ajmer, Rajasthan. The victims were predominantly Hindu girls. The main accused included Farooq Chishti and Nafis Chishti, members of the Khadim family associated with the Ajmer Sharif Dargah. Farooq was the president of Ajmer Youth Congress at the time, and Nafis was the vice-president. The case came to light in April 1992 after journalist Santosh Gupta reported on it in the local newspaper Dainik Navajyoti, publishing blurred photographs of survivors. The gang's modus operandi involved luring victims under various pretexts, gang-raping them, and photographing the assaults. The explicit photographs were processed at a local photo lab and subsequently leaked, which exposed the racket and led to widespread blackmail. According to police, six victims reportedly died by suicide due to the trauma and harassment. A total of 18 men were charged in the case. On 20 August 2024, a POCSO court in Ajmer sentenced six men—Nafees Chishti, Naseem alias Tarzan, Salim Chishti, Iqbal Bhati, Sohail Ghani, and Syed Zameer Hussain to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹5 lakh each. On 8 August 2025, the Rajasthan High Court suspended the sentences of four of the convicts—Nafees Chishti, Iqbal Bhati, Salim Chishti, and Syed Zameer Hussain—and granted them bail, noting that two were not named in the FIRs and the other two had already served nearly nine years. Survivors suffered immense trauma and social stigma. Many families fled Ajmer, and repeated court summons became a painful ordeal. One survivor famously stated, "I am now a grandmother, leave me alone. We have families. What do we tell them?". A Hindi film titled *Ajmer 92*, directed by Pushpendra Singh, was released on 21 July 2023, based on the scandal.

2009–2010

• Early cases emerged in Kerala and Karnataka. Hindu and Christian organisations claimed hundreds of women were lured. One of the first widely reported cases involved a Hindu woman in Karnataka whose father approached the High Court alleging "Love Jihad".

2014

• Tara Shahdeo Case (Jharkhand): National-level rifle shooter Tara Shahdeo filed an FIR alleging that her husband had married her under a false Hindu identity ("Ranjeet Singh Kohli") using Hindu rituals, but was actually a Muslim man named Raqibul Hasan. She alleged she was kept in confinement, physically assaulted, and pressured to undergo a religious conversion. Due to the high-profile nature and administrative links of the accused, the probe was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). On September 30, 2023, a Special CBI Court in Ranchi convicted Raqibul Hasan under IPC sections for rape and criminal conspiracy, sentencing him to life imprisonment. Co-conspirators, including his mother and a former High Court registrar who facilitated the deception, received sentences of 10 and 15 years respectively.

2017

• Hadiya Case (Kerala): Akhila (later Hadiya), a Hindu woman who converted to Islam and married Shafeen Jahan. Her father alleged forced conversion. The Kerala High Court annulled the marriage, but the Supreme Court restored it, upholding her right as an adult.

2020

• Uttar Pradesh and other states saw increased cases after anti-conversion ordinances. Several Muslim men were arrested under new laws for alleged forced conversions through marriage.

• Murder of Nikita Tomar: Nikita Tomar, a 20-year-old Indian student, was shot dead by Tausif, a young man (accompanied by his friend Rehman), outside her college in the town of Ballabhgarh in Faridabad district, Haryana, on 26 October 2020. Tausif wanted her to marry her and allegedly convert to Islam, both of which she refused. The incident was recorded on CCTV, which led to the arrests of two men, both of whom were fellow students. On 23 March 2021, two men were convicted of her murder by a fast-track court and were imprisoned for life.

2021

• Multiple arrests reported in Uttar Pradesh under the new anti-conversion law. Cases involved allegations of fake identities and conversion pressure.

2022

• Killing of Shraddha Walker: Shraddha Walker who lived in South Delhi with her boyfriend Aaftab Amin Poonawala. On November 10, her father filed a missing person report at Mehrauli Police Station, South Delhi district, and based on his complaint an FIR was registered by the police, and an investigation was initiated to find Shraddha. On November 14, her boyfriend Aaftab Amin Poonawala was arrested after Delhi police started probing into a missing complaint filed by Shraddha's father. The police then found that Aftab Amin Poonawala, with whom Shraddha was in a live-in relationship, allegedly killed her in May. He reportedly chopped her into 35 pieces and disposed of them one by one. It was also reported that after chopping the body of Shraddha, he burnt her face to conceal her identity. He was arrested on November 14 and a case under IPC sections 302 (murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of an offence committed) was registered at Mehrauli police station. The case was widely linked to Love Jihad patterns by many media outlets and politicians.

2023

• Several cases reported from Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan involving allegations of stalking, forced conversion, and violence. The release of the film The Kerala Story brought renewed attention to older Kerala cases.
• Reports of vigilante actions and attacks on interfaith couples also increased during this period.

2024

• Yashashree Shinde Case (Maharashtra): In Uran, Maharashtra, a young Dalit woman named Yashashree Shinde (also referred to as Yashashri Shinde) was murdered in July 2024. The accused, Dawood Shaikh (also Daud Shaikh), who had a prior relationship history with the victim dating back to around 2019 and faced a previous POCSO and molestation case filed by her family, was arrested from Karnataka. The incident triggered significant local protests, with community leaders and political groups invoking the "Love Jihad" narrative. The state police processed the case under standard murder charges alongside sections of the POCSO Act and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

• Murder of Neha Hiremath: Neha Hiremath was a 23-year-old woman, who was stabbed to death by classmate Fayaz Khondunaik at KLE Technological University on Thursday, April 18, 2024. In February 2025 the victim's family requested intervention from the Central Bureau of Investigation due to lack of progress in the investigation. An autopsy report was released on April 23, 2024. It was determined that Hiremath suffered from fourteen wounds around her neck, heart, and back—she had died within a minute of the attack. The father of the girl Niranjan Hiremath, who was a Karnataka Congress corporator, claims that his daughter was killed due to love jihad.

2025

• Jhangur Baba Conversion Racket (Balrampur, UP): Jamaluddin alias Chhangur Baba / Jhangur Baba from Rehra Mafi village in Balrampur (Utraula area), was arrested by UP ATS along with associate Neetu alias Nasreen from a Lucknow hotel. The mastermind of a large illegal religious conversion racket. According to UP ATS, he sent Muslim youths disguised as Hindus to trap Hindu girls (especially Brahmin/Thakur), befriended them, took to his dargah for conversion to Islam, performed nikah, then blackmailed with fake cases or harm. ₹15-16 lakh for Brahmin/Kshatriya/Sikh girls, ₹10-12 lakh for OBC, ₹8-10 lakh for others paid via foreign funding. He also published brainwashing book 'Shijr-e-Tayyaba'. ₹100-106 crore in 40+ bank accounts (foreign funds), luxury properties (including illegal mansion on gram samaj/govt land in Madhpur were demolished by bulldozers), Lonavala land (₹16+ crore), showrooms, cars. 40+ foreign trips. Earlier arrests included son Mehboob, Naveen Rohra.

• Virar Viva College Garba case (2025): In September 2025, during Navratri Garba events at Viva College in Virar West, Maharashtra, organisers caught Class 12 student Mohammad Shahid Khan (minor, \~17) filming participating girls. His phone contained multiple videos of the girls and Discord chats with another individual named Faiz featuring highly obscene remarks targeting Hindu girls, including the explicit instruction “Rule no 1. Jo hindu mil rahi usko pelo kisi ko bhi mat chodo” (do not leave any Hindu girl untouched) and discussions of luring, deceiving and exploiting them. A complaint was filed at Bolinj Police Station; an FIR was registered around 29–30 September under provisions of the Information Technology Act (including Section 67) and related laws. As the main accused was a minor he was produced before the Juvenile Justice Board. The case sparked widespread outrage, with BJP and Hindu organisations describing it as a “love jihad” plot.

2026

• Uttar Pradesh Gym Syndicate Case (January): In Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, a gym syndicate running an illegal religious conversion and AI-backed blackmail racket since 2021 was busted. The gang targeted as many as 30 Hindu women (most victims who joined their chain of five gyms namely KGN-1.0, KGN-2.0, KGN-3.0, B-Fit, and Iron Fire for physical training). They befriended the women, gained access to personal photos/videos, used AI tools to create morphed explicit/obscene videos and photos, then blackmailed them for sexual exploitation and to coerce religious conversion. Six accused arrested, including GRP head constable Irshad Khan (40, provided logistical support/protection) and gym owners/trainers: Mohammad Sheikh Ali Alam (31), Faizal Khan (34), Zaheer (32), Shadab (36), and prime accused Farid Ahmed (28, arrested after firing on police during raid/encounter). Obscene AI-edited videos, photos, and chats recovered from mobiles as key evidence. Four of the five gyms run by 3 brothers and brother-in-law. All five gyms sealed till Feb 27 by DM.

• Basti, UP grooming case (February) Ajfarul Haq alias Prince from Basti, UP, allegedly trapped over 100 Hindu girls by hiding his identity. He wore a kalava (sacred thread) on his wrist to pose as Hindu, befriended them (often at a private hospital), built relationships with promises of love/marriage/job, entered physical relations, recorded obscene videos, then blackmailed them for further exploitation, forcing into wrong acts or prostitution, and sending some to other states/border areas. Operated as an organised gang with family and others. One victim's complaint led to exposure; police arrested Ajfarul Haq and 7 others, sent to jail.

• TCS Nashik Workplace Case (April 2026): At a Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) campus in Nashik, Maharashtra, a major scandal broke out involving allegations of systematic sexual grooming, mental abuse, and pressure for forced religious conversion to Islam. Multiple female employees filed FIRs against campus team leaders. The Nashik Police deployed female officers undercover inside the facility to gather evidence. Authorities registered nine FIRs and arrested seven employees, including team leaders and an Assistant General Manager. The incident was heavily discussed in national media and by political representatives under the terms "Corporate Jihad" and "Love Jihad."

• Amravati Sexual Exploitation Case (April 2026): In Paratwada, Amravati district, Maharashtra, a 19-year-old youth named Ayan Ahmed Tanveer Ahmed (alias Mohammad Ayaz) was arrested following allegations of luring minor girls, capturing obscene multimedia files against their will, and distributing them across digital platforms like Snapchat. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was demanded by public representatives. While local groups characterized the ring under the "Love Jihad" narrative targeting non-Muslim girls, police investigations noted that the digital leak affected several victims across multiple communities. In April 2026, Maharashtra Police arrested Mohammad Ayaz (alias Tanveer), a 19-year-old resident of Paratwada in Amravati district. He was accused of luring at least 180 minor girls through WhatsApp and Snapchat groups, taking them to Mumbai and Pune, filming over 350 obscene videos, and blackmailing them into prostitution. Some videos were allegedly shared online. The arrest followed a complaint by Rajya Sabha MP Anil Bonde. Ayaz was remanded to police custody, and his mobile phone was seized. Authorities later demolished portions of his illegal property.

• Kota Telegram Conversion Case (June 2026): The Rajasthan Police arrested an individual named Manish Sharma alias Moin Khan in Kota's Vigyan Nagar. Local organizations, including the Bajrang Dal, alleged that the accused operated an organized conversion and blackmail network targeting non-Muslim women through encrypted digital channels on Telegram, Snapchat, and Discord using thousands of illicitly recorded explicit videos. The case was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the IT Act, and state freedom of religion laws, while the family of the accused denied the conversion syndicate charges. In June 2026, Moin Khan was arrested in Kota, Rajasthan, following a complaint by Bajrang Dal activist Yogesh Renwal. Activists claimed that over 40,000 obscene videos of Hindu women were found on his devices, along with allegations of religious conversion, circumcision, targeting Hindu women via Telegram, Snapchat, and Discord, and possible Pakistan links. Police registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and IT Act but stated that investigations had not substantiated claims of religious conversion or foreign links. The probe into the large volume of pornographic material continued.

• Gaya Momo Vendor Exploitation Case (June 2026): In Gaya district, Bihar, a roadside momo vendor named Mohammad Rehan was arrested following intense local outrage and complaints. Rehan allegedly lured multiple young and minor girls into relationship traps by offering them free fast-food items ("free momos") over an extended period. He was accused of recording explicit, compromising videos of at least ten victims without their consent and subsequently uploading or sharing the media content online. The incident triggered significant socio-political reactions regarding digital security and grooming, and local organizations labeled it as a predatory "Love Jihad" tactic. In late June 2026, Rehan Ansari, a momo vendor from Banke Bazar in Gaya district, Bihar, was accused of luring nearly 20 minor girls (including Mahadalit girls) with free momos and social media reels, then filming obscene videos. The case came to light on 22 June 2026 when locals caught him with a minor girl at Banke Dham hill. Over 70 videos were reportedly recovered from his phone. An FIR was registered under the POCSO Act, IT Act, and other sections. Ansari initially fled (reportedly to Delhi) but later surrendered. Videos were sent for forensic examination.

• Kheda, Gujarat Gang Rape & Blackmail Case (July): In Kheda, Gujarat, nine youths from the same village were accused of sexually assaulting and gang-raping a 17-year-old minor girl repeatedly for three years (2023–2025). Parvez Anwar Khan alias Munawwar Khan Pathan lured her into a "love trap", took nude photos/videos with eight accomplices (Mahir Fakubhai Pathan, Faizan Zahir Khan Pathan, Taufiq/Tausif Hussain Khan Pathan, Sahil Liyaqat Khan alias Dawood Pathan, Ayan Liyaqat Khan Pathan, Moin Firoz Khan Pathan, Maruf alias Noorani Mubarak Pathan, Salman Arif Khan Pathan), and blackmailed her with threats to make them viral or harm her life. They summoned her to various locations for exploitation. Eight arrested; one (Sahil) absconding. Case registered under POCSO Act and gang rape.

• Majuli Identity Deception Case (September 2026): In Majuli district, Assam, a woman was five months pregnant when she discovered that her partner, who had introduced himself as "Rahul Das," was actually Khursid Ali. The two had been in a relationship for about two years and were living together. According to reports, she continued to endure the difficulties because she was concerned about her unborn child and hoped the situation would improve. After his identity came to light, conflicts began between them, and when she attempted to end the relationship, Ali allegedly subjected her to physical and mental harassment. She further alleged that an attempt was made to kill her by covering her face with a pillow while she was five months pregnant. After the birth of their child, Ali allegedly demanded money and continued to abuse her over financial issues. She also alleged that he made derogatory remarks about her religious identity during phone conversations. She was eventually brought back to her home in Majuli and left there with her child. The accused is reportedly from the Jalukbari area of Guwahati.

• Sangli Rape and Blackmail Case (September 2026): In Sangli, Maharashtra, a woman alleged that Imran Abbas Pakhali (29), a resident of Kokale village, raped her for two years under the guise of providing emotional support after contacting her through social media. The accused allegedly recorded explicit videos and photographs of the woman and used them to blackmail her, extorting approximately ₹17 lakh. He also allegedly pressured her to convert to Islam; when she refused, he assaulted her, causing a fracture to her hand. The accused also allegedly gave her contact number to his friend and relative, Mohsin Mulani (32), and pressured her into a physical relationship with him as well. When she refused, the accused allegedly sent her explicit videos and photos to her husband, children, and relatives, defaming her in society. Based on the woman's complaint, Sangli city police registered a case against Imran Pakhali and Mohsin Mulani. The main accused was arrested and remanded to police custody.

• Sonipat Identity Deception Case (October 2026): In Sonipat, Haryana, a woman alleged that a man married her after concealing his identity and marital status. The woman, a resident of Devru Road, alleged that the man introduced himself as "Joni," a Hindu youth, when they met in June 2023. Four months after the marriage, she discovered that his real name was Javed Khan and that he was already married with three children from his first marriage. She also alleged that she was pressured to convert to Islam and to change the names of her children. The woman further accused her brothers-in-law of molestation and forced sexual relations. The Rakshak Sena, a right-wing organisation, met the victim and demanded police action against the accused, seeking registration of a case and protection for the woman within 48 hours.

• Kanpur Thai Woman Forced Conversion and Fraud Case (October 2026): In October 2026, a 35-year-old Thai woman accused a Kanpur-based tannery businessman, Mohammad Irfan, of concealing his existing marriage, defrauding her of approximately ₹60 lakh, and pressuring her to convert to Islam. The woman, who runs a restaurant and canteen in Thailand, met Irfan through social media around four years ago. He introduced himself as an unmarried businessman who frequently travelled abroad for work. Around two years ago, he proposed and they married in Thailand according to Thai customs. Over the course of their relationship, Irfan allegedly took around ₹60 lakh from her in multiple installments, claiming he needed the money to expand his business. She arranged the funds by borrowing from relatives and friends. After Irfan returned to India in early 2026 and stopped responding to her calls, the woman travelled to Kanpur on 5 October 2026 to recover her money. When she reached his home in Anwarganj, she allegedly discovered for the first time that he was already married and had three children. She alleged that when she confronted Irfan and demanded her money back, he and his family members abused and assaulted her, and Irfan told her she would have to convert to Islam and wear a burqa if she wanted to stay with him or recover her money. Based on her complaint, Kanpur Police registered an FIR at Anwarganj police station under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and invoked provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act. Irfan was arrested and sent to jail. On 9 October 2026, the woman recorded her statement before the Special Chief Judicial Magistrate and submitted over 90 WhatsApp chats and a call recording related to financial transactions with Irfan to the police. Irfan's bail application was rejected by the lower court the same day.

Statutory Framework for Prosecution

When individual complaints involving allegations of identity concealment, sexual exploitation, or forced conversion are filed, they are legally categorized under the following statutory frameworks:

• Rape by Fraudulent Consent (Section 376 IPC / Section 64 BNS): Applied when a complainant establishes that sexual intercourse occurred based on a false promise of marriage or a falsified identity.
• Cheating (Section 420 IPC / Section 318 BNS): For cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property or identity concealment.
• State Freedom of Religion Acts: Specific provisions penalizing unlawful conversions with enhanced prison sentences if the victim is a minor, a woman, or belongs to a Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe.

Government Response

Many BJP-ruled states have passed anti-conversion laws specifically addressing conversions through marriage. Uttar Pradesh's 2021 law is one of the strictest.

See also

• Grooming gangs scandal (United Kingdom)