A case has been filed against police constable Mubarik Sheikh in Jhabua in Madhya Pradesh for allegedly harassing his first wife, concealing his identity and entering a second marriage without divorce.
The charges, lodged under IPC sections 498-A (cruelty by husband), 494 (bigamy), 294 (abuse) and 313 (causing miscarriage without consent), stem from a complaint by his first wife, who alleges deceit, abuse and coercion.
The complainant, a resident of Khandwa, met Mubarik in 2014 while studying in college. Introducing himself as Anil Solanki, he initiated a relationship that led to a four-year live-in arrangement.
She alleges that Mubarik promised marriage, engaged in physical relations and coerced her into undergoing four abortions during this period.
In 2019, the woman discovered Mubarik’s true identity upon seeing his police uniform, which bore the name Mubarik Sheikh. When confronted, he admitted to lying to gain her trust.
Frustrated by hollow promises of marriage, the victim threatened Mubarik of legal action, following which he agreed to marry her and they wed in court in July 2020 and had a Hindu ceremony in a Temple four days later.
However, the marriage deteriorated quickly as Mubarik allegedly refused to introduce his wife to his family. Taking matters into her own hands, the victim visited his home in Khargone, where she claims she was verbally abused and thrown out of the house by Mubarik’s mother and sisters.
When Mubarik learned about the incident, he reportedly lashed out and abused the victim for visiting his family without his permission.
At the time, the complainant was two and a half months pregnant and alleges that Mubarik forcibly administered abortion pills, terminating the pregnancy without her consent.
Following the incident, Mubarik requested for a transfer to Jhabua without informing the victim and left her in Khandwa with vague promises of reuniting once he secured accommodation.
However, months passed without contact between the two and this caused the victim significant emotional distress.
The situation escalated when the complainant discovered Mubarik’s second marriage through an Instagram post showing him with another woman and two children.
Upon contacting the woman, she learned that Mubarik had a separate family. When she confronted him, he allegedly threatened and abused her.
The complainant filed a police complaint in Jhabua, leading to an FIR. The case diary has been transferred to Khandwa for further investigation.
With inputs from Chandrabhan Singh Bhadoria