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A man from Tamil Nadu’s Tirupur has been arrested for posting intimate pictures of his partner on social media handles and allegedly subjecting the woman to cruel acts in his attempts to convert her. The accused, Iman Hameef (21), has been booked under multiples sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Information Technology Act (IT Act) and the Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities Act by the Nallur Police in Tirupur, based on his partner’s complaint.
TNM accessed the FIR (First Information Report) which stated that Iman had taken possession of his partner’s smart phone and posted private photos of her to two of her Instagram handles. He had also called her friends and family and forwarded compromising images of her to them via WhatsApp. According to the woman's statement, Iman threatened to “post more pictures of her if she did not convert to his religion”. The 21-year-old, who had been living with her in Karur, had on more than one occasion forced her to wear a hijab and to pray on Fridays.
His partner, who is the complainant, belongs to Thirumanilayure in Karur district. She had moved with Iman to Tirupur where he had found a job in a banian manufacturing unit. In her complaint, she states that “Iman had initially insisted on getting married immediately. He said we would do a Nikkah (Islamc marriage) and told me he would enroll me in a Madrassa (Islamic school) I resisted these plans”.
She added in her complaint that Iman would come home drunk and hit her. The accused had also pledged her gold earrings stating that his father was unwell, according to the complaint.
Apart from the physical abuse and psychological pressure to convert, the complainant states that Iman had also insulted her for belonging to a marginalized community. “When I refused to convert my faith, he asked me why I had so much pride despite belonging to the community I belonged to?”
Based on her complaint on May 5, 2022, the Nallur Police Station in Tirupur registered an FIR against Iman. He has been booked under sections Section 354A (Sexual harassment of the nature of unwelcome physical contact and advances or a demand or request for sexual favours or showing pornography) and 506 (I) ( Punishment for criminal intimidation) of the IPC, Section 3 (i) (r ) (intentionally insults or intimidates with intent to humiliate a member of a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe in any place within public view) and 3 (i) (s) (abuses any member of a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe by caste name in any place within public view) of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989 and Section 66C (Punishment for fraudulently or dishonestly make use of the electronic signature, password etc of any other person), 66E (Punishment for violation of privacy) and 67A (Punishment for publishing or transmitting of material containing sexually explicit act).
On May 11, Wednesday, Iman was arrested by the police. “He was arrested post 2 pm on Wednesday and has now been remanded to the Tirupur district prison” an official from the Nallur PS confirmed to TNM.