Gonda, August 7, 2025 – A disturbing case has come to light in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, where a woman has accused a man, Azam Hasan Sheikh, of hiding his religious identity to marry her, pressuring her to convert to Islam, and forcing her to undergo an abortion. An FIR has been filed against Azam and three family members—his father Akbar Ali, mother Rashida, and sister Manuja—following the woman’s complaint on August 2, 2025, police said.
The woman’s complaint details that she met Azam in 2017 when he introduced himself as Vineet Singh. They grew close and married in a local temple in December 2017, following Hindu rituals. Later, she discovered Azam’s true identity and alleged that his family took her to their home in West Bengal, where they pressured her to convert to Islam and marry Azam again under Muslim customs. When she became pregnant, the family allegedly forced her to abort the pregnancy, according to the complaint.
The woman further claimed that Azam continued to harass her after she escaped and returned to Gonda. On July 29, 2025, he allegedly threatened to leak private photos and contacted her friends, falsely claiming she had willingly converted, damaging her reputation. She sought medical treatment and moved back with her parents before filing the complaint. The FIR was registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021.
Superintendent of Police Vineet Jaiswal confirmed to Siasat Daily that an investigation is ongoing. “We’ve registered an FIR and are looking into the matter thoroughly,” he said. Police are examining phone records and other evidence to verify the allegations of blackmail and coercion.
