A special court in Rajasthan sentenced six people to life imprisonment for their involvement in the 1992 Ajmer sex scandal on August 20, 2024. This scandal involved the gang rape and exploitation of over 100 girls, aged 11 to 20, from local schools and colleges.
The convicted individuals—Nafees Chishti, Naseem (also known as Tarzan), Salim Chishti, Iqbal Bhati, Sohail Ghani, and Syed Zameer Hussain—used to befriend girls from a private school and college in Ajmer. They would photograph and blackmail the girls into visiting a remote farmhouse where they were sexually assaulted. The victims were also forced to bring their friends, who were then similarly trapped.
Judge Ranjan Singh said the severe nature of the crimes and the evidence presented justified the life sentences. Each convict was also fined ₹5 lakh.
The court convicted the accused under Sections 120B and 376 of the Indian Penal Code, with Naseem also facing charges under Section 37. It was noted that any compensation previously given to victims by legal aid services would be adjusted against the court’s compensation decision.
The court acknowledged that delays in the case were due to the extended absence of the accused. The investigation began when Nafees Chishti first appeared on April 20, 2003, and concluded only after Sohail Ghani’s appearance on February 17, 2018. This is to inform that out of 18 accused in the case, eight were sentenced to life imprisonment in 1998.
