24 Hindu women defrauded by Muslim man disguised as army officer with a Hindu name

Case ID : b45f455 | Location : Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India | Date of Incident : Fri, 30 August, 2024
Case ID : b45f455
location Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
date 30 August, 2024
24 Hindu women defrauded by Muslim man disguised as army officer with a Hindu name
Crimes against women in relationships and other sexual crimes
Man pretends to be Hindu
Name Changed
Pattern of targeting Hindu women

Case Summary

Ahmedabad Police arrested Mohammad Shehbaz in connection with a theft on a Vande Bharat train in Gujarat. During the investigation, it was revealed that Shehbaz was also involved in a case of impersonation and deceit to marry a Hindu woman. He was handed over to Ahmedabad Police after Aligarh Police filed an FIR against him. Shehbaz, a resident of Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, was found with a fake identity card under the name ‘Major Harshit Chaudhary’ and other documents, including a fabricated Aadhaar and PAN card. Using this false identity, he reserved a train seat and stole a passenger’s trolley bag. Surveillance footage and passenger records led to his arrest. Further interrogation revealed his history of deception involving multiple women across India. Shehbaz reportedly created fake profiles on matrimonial sites like Shaadi.com, posing as a Hindu Army officer. He targeted a Hindu woman from Jharkhand, whom he lured into marriage under a fabricated identity. On March 5, 2023, he married her in a Hindu temple in Aligarh and later abandoned her, claiming Army duties. The woman filed a police complaint after learning his true identity, stating he threatened her and forced her into sexual relations. Investigations also uncovered that Shehbaz had defrauded at least 24 women from various regions, using similar tactics. He established relationships through social and matrimonial platforms, gained trust, and exploited women financially and emotionally. It was further revealed that Shehbaz was already married with two children. Police found significant monetary transactions in bank accounts linked to his fake identity, prompting authorities to seize the accounts and involve IT officials. Shehbaz’s background in the Army helped him adopt a convincing facade, enabling him to deceive multiple victims.

Why it is Hate Crime ?

This case has been added to the tracker under the category- Crimes against women in relationships and other sexual crimes. Under this, the sub-category selected is- Man pretends to be Hindu. Further, based on case details, two tertiary categories, namely- 'Name changed' and 'Pattern of targeting Hindu women' have also been selected within the above-mentioned category. When a non-Hindu man pretends to be a Hindu to deceive a Hindu woman into a relationship, the act is seen as triggered by malafide intentions. In some cases, the woman eventually accepts the man’s original religious identity and converts after the man’s identity is revealed. These cases could be argued as cases of religious brainwashing and a result of the pressure a woman feels after getting into a relationship with a man. The woman, it can be argued, also changed her religious identity because of the stigma she believes she might face if she chooses to walk out of a deceptive relationship. However, for the purpose of documenting hate crimes, the cases in this subcategory are limited to those where there is explicit violence aimed at religious conversion against the wishes of the victim (force-feeding beef, blackmailing with intimate videos, rape on refusal to convert, etc), or if the woman herself complains of the man’s religious deception. In such cases, it is established that the deception of the non-Hindu man had a specific aim of religious conversion or targeting of the victim due to her Hindu religious identity, therefore, making it a religiously motivated hate crime. Here, the Muslim perpetrator's deliberate use of a fabricated Hindu identity and fraudulent documents highlights his intent to deceive and exploit a Hindu woman. Here it is important to note that the Muslim perpetrator is a repeat offender. He has targeted 24 Hindu women. When a perpetrator specifically targets women of a particular faith, the crime transcends mere random violence; it becomes an act deeply rooted in religious intolerance. Such targeting is not only an attack on the individual but also a symbolic assault on the entire community that the victim represents. The perpetrator’s actions may be driven by a desire to assert religious superiority, humiliate the community, or forcefully impose his own beliefs on others. This is particularly evident when the crime involves elements like forced conversion, physical or sexual violence, or psychological manipulation intended to strip the victim of her religious identity. This type of targeted violence is not just an individual crime but a hate crime with broader social and religious implications. It stems from the perpetrator's deep animosity towards the victim's faith. This is why this case has been included in the tracker.

Victim Details

Total Victim

24

Deceased

0


Gender

  • Male 0
  • Female 24
  • Third Gender 0
  • Unknown 0

Caste

  • SC/ST 0
  • OBC 0
  • General 0
  • Unknown 24

Age Group

  • Minor 0
  • Adult 0
  • Senior Citizen 0
  • Unknown 24
Case Status Background
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Case Status


Arrested

Case Status Background
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Perpetrators Details

Perpetrators


Muslim Extremists

Perpetrators Range


One Person

Perpetrators Gender


male

Case Details SVG
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