The Jammu Kashmir police on Sunday claimed to have arrested a BJP Jammu Kashmir leader Sheikh Imran for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman and extorting money from various people.
An official told The Kashmiriyat that Sheikh Imran, who is a resident of Shiczan area in Anantnag’s Dialgam area had been threatening and harassing people for several months.
“He had been sexually assaulting the girl for several months in name of providing her compensation and donations. He had also been extorting money from people in name of providing them jobs,” he said.
The girl in her complaint has alleged that Sheikh Imran sexually assaulted her and promised that he would provide her monetary assistance.
There are four other FIRs in which people have alleged that the accused was extorting money from people claiming his association with the Bhartiya Janta Party، a claim denied by Altaf Thakur، who is the Kashmir spokesman for the right wing party۔
“Sheikh Imran arrested in Anantnag is not associated with BJP as mentioned by some media houses. Media houses are requested to check authencity of affliations claimed by people,” Altaf Thakur said۔
A simple name search on Twitter by The Kashmiriyat revealed that Sheikh Imran، the arrested has been campaigning for the BJP for a long time and claims to be an associate of the party, a claim spread by the members of BJP.
#JammuAndKashmie RSS Sangathan Secy Sheikh Imran protests against Anantnag Cop killing pic.twitter.com/ODz9h2mlaz
— Take One (@takeonedigital) January 30, 2022
Another tweet by a BJP supporter claimed that a meeting of BJP was held in Aishmuqam Anantnag earlier in September which was led by Sheikh Imran now in Police custody.
BJP( Rashtriya Divyang prakoshth Jan ) a Workers meeting at Hardi Kachroo Aishmuqam Anantnag under the leadership of UT Jammu and Kashmir President Sheikh Imran accompanied by , Aaqib manzoor wani District president Anantnag,Aashiq Hussain sheikh District President Kulgam. pic.twitter.com/niCWbaXD0s
— Aaqib wani (@Aaqib_Wa) September 14, 2022
ANN news has also tweeted a press release from June 21, 2021 referring to him as “BJP social activist. ‘BJP Social Activist Sheikh Imran Distributed Ration Kits Among Nomads In Anantnag’, read the headline.
BJP Social Activist Sheikh Imran Distributed Ration Kits Among Nomads In Anantnag | ANN News#Kashmir https://t.co/YxjaslJWmX
— Kashir Khabarnama (@KashirKhabar) June 2, 2021
He had also said that BJP has demonstrated how it has earned the trust of crores of Indians and grown to become the world’s largest political party.
In one of his recent representations sent to a senior police official, Sheikh Imran has referred to himself as ‘UT President of Bhartiya Janta Party Rashtriya Divyang Prakoshth Jan Sangh.’
He had also been constantly furthering the BJP agenda on the ground and targetting the Abdullahs and Mufti’s from various stages.
— Imran (@Imran18294562) November 1, 2022
Speaking to The Kashmiriyat, the official said that Jammu Kashmir police had registered two FIRs against Sheikh Imran under the numbers 344/ 2022 and 35/ 2022.
Requesting the people to not pay heed to such elements, he said that people should come forward and report such incidents.