Wed Mar 05 05:59:55 UTC 2025: ## Rajasthan Civil Rights Groups Condemn Assault of Accused in Ajmer Court
**JAIPUR, March 5, 2025** – Civil rights organizations in Rajasthan have voiced deep concern over the repeated assaults of individuals accused in an alleged blackmail case at the Ajmer district court. The latest incident involved a former municipal councillor who was beaten by lawyers and onlookers following remand proceedings – the third such attack in as many days.
The case centers on allegations of blackmail and sexual exploitation of underage girls by several Muslim youths in Bijainagar, Beawar district. The incident has fueled communal tensions, leading to bandhs and protests across the region. Police have arrested 10 individuals and detained three minors.
The families of the accused are facing punitive measures, including demolition notices from the Bijainagar Municipality targeting their homes, the local graveyard, and the Jama Masjid. A graveyard gate has already been sealed.
The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) has condemned the attempts to give the case a communal spin and criticized the lack of action against those who assaulted the accused within the court. PUCL-Rajasthan president Bhanwar Meghwanshi stated that while lawyers acted outside the law, no charges of obstructing public servants were filed against them. Meghwanshi also criticized Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani’s call for a special investigation team and “bulldozer action” against the accused’s homes, deeming it unlawful and undignified.
The accused, primarily daily wage earners, are reportedly from impoverished backgrounds. Police allege a former independent ward councillor, Hakim Qureshi, formed a gang that lured schoolgirls with mobile phones, exploiting them and forcing religious conversion.
Two families have petitioned the Rajasthan High Court, challenging the municipality’s demolition notices, claiming “collective punishment” and a violation of recent Supreme Court rulings against arbitrary demolitions. The High Court has issued notices to the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) and others, with a response due by March 7.
The Bijainagar Waqf Management Committee is also seeking to quash the municipality’s notices impacting the Jama Masjid and graveyard.
PUCL and other civil rights groups demand a fair investigation and enforcement of the law, criticizing the police’s inaction against those making inflammatory and communal statements.
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