Sexual exploitation of a Hindu woman through a fake ‘Hindu’ Instagram account; Muslim arrested in Palghar !

Mumbai – A Muslim man, Raju Sikandar Sheikh, created a fake Instagram account under the name ‘Ajay Mhaske’ and sexually exploited a 32-year-old Hindu woman. The police have arrested Sheikh from Pune. The victim is from Palghar district, and action was taken based on her complaint filed at Kelwe Police Station. When produced before the court, Sheikh was remanded to 4 days of police custody.

1. Raju Sikandar Sheikh is originally from Beed. By creating a fake account on Instagram using a Hindu name, he developed a relationship with the victim. In 2025, he came to Palghar and staged a fake marriage with her in a temple by exchanging garlands.

2. He maintained physical relations with her for 6 months. In 2026, he left for Ahilyanagar after promising marriage. Later, the victim realised that he was already married.

3. After discovering this, the victim tried to contact Sheikh. Subsequently, Sheikh’s Muslim wife sent obscene photos of the victim and demanded ₹2 lakh from her.

4. Realising that she had been deceived, the victim filed a complaint with the police. Further investigation in the case is ongoing.

5. Deputy Superintendent of Police of Palghar district, Vikas Naik, stated that the police laid a trap and arrested Raju Sikandar Sheikh. The investigation is at a preliminary stage, and action will be taken if others are found involved.