Crackdown on Qazis has curbed exploitation: Cops

The police say that the crackdown on Qazis who were found to be performing contract marriages in the Old City has helped to curb the explotation of girls from poor families, in a big way. For fear of getting arrested the qazis have stopped solemnising marriages of local girls with foreign nationals. “In last two years only two marriages were reported and we acted swiftly and arrested the brokers involved. In fact, the qazis are now alerting us whenever brokers approach them to solemnise a marriage and then organise a talaq,” said DCP (south) V. Satyanarayana. He added that three cases had been reported in 2013, two cases in 2015 and one each in 2016 and 2017.

“Apart from keeping a watch on the offices of Qazis, we have started awareness campaigns with the help of women groups,” explained Mr Satyanarayana.

All those who were previously involved in the rackets including middlemen and brokers are now being monitored with all their past records in the purview of the police. “Now, a police team frequently visits the houses of brokers and keeps a record of their activities,” he added. He said in this particular case, Ahmed, the Omani national went back to his country alone and later sent a visit visa for his wife. “To avoid getting caught he arranged the visit visa,” said the official.

Meanwhile, Union minister Maneka Gandhi on Thursday said she would request external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj to rescue Sayeeda. Ms Gandhi took to Twitter to respond to media reports on the incident, which she termed as “deeply disturbing”. “Have asked the Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad, to investigate the case and identify the persons who forced this illegal marriage,” she tweeted.