The Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Sopore, Jammu and Kashmir, convicted a Muslim ‘Peer Baba’ Maulvi Ajaz Ahmad Sheikh for sexually abusing minor children for over a decade. In an order dated 17^th February 2025, the court convicted the self-proclaimed ‘faith healer’ under section 377 of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC).

While pronouncing the accused’s conviction, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Sopore, Mir Wajahat said that the prosecution established Maulvi Ajaz Ahmad Sheikh’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt. Justice Wajahat observed that the accused Maulvi subjected minors to unnatural sex under the guise of offering them blessings and exploited their vulnerability.

Maulvi Ajaz Ahmad Sheikh invited children to his residence on the pretext of speaking to ‘Jinn’, indulged in unnatural sex with minors

In this case, an FIR was filed in 2016 at the Bomai Police Station in Baramulla after a minor boy studying in class 10^th told his father about how Maulvi Ajaz Ahmad Sheikh was doing unnatural acts with kids including him for many years. The boy, Prosecution Witness 8 (PW8), used to accompany his paternal uncle during his visits to the accused. After some time, however, the boy grew reluctant to visit the Maulvi. When his father inquired about why he was unwilling to visit the Maulvi, the boy initially remained hesitant, however, on being questioned again, he revealed the horrific deeds Maulvi Ajaz Ahmad Sheikh was doing to him and other kids.

Subsequently, the boy’s father approached then Sopore SP who constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising senior investigating officers, child protection officers, and forensic experts to probe the allegations.

A case was registered, SIT conducted an investigation, recorded statements of multiple victims and inspected the accused’s residence, collected documentary and circumstantial evidence. Upon gathering sufficient material to substantiate the allegations, a detailed chargesheet was filed on 15th June, 2017, under Section 377 RPC before the competent court, marking the culmination of the investigative process.

In his statement, PW1 (the boy’s father) said that the accused Maulvi used to tell him and his brother to bring children to him in the night so that they could speak with ‘Jinn’. He told the court that on Maulvi’s direction, he started taking his son to him in 2013 till the year 2017. After that, however, the kids refused to go there. When PW1 asked his son why he was unwilling to go to the Maulvi, he told his father that the accused used to have unnatural intercourse with them. 

Meanwhile, the sister (PW2) of the minor victim’s father said that she had a knee ailment for which she used to go to the accused Maulvi while her brother (PW1) visited the accused for Taweez. Before the complainant’s son, his nephew (12 years old at that time) used to go to the accused Maulvi, who after going for five or six times for five or six weeks stopped going to the accused.

The prosecution witness 2, said in her statement that the victim, (PW8), who was ill and had a heart-related ailment was taken to Maulvi Ajaz Ahmad Sheikh three-four years ago twice. However, he refused to go to the accused without giving any reason. Upon questioning, he said that “the accused had taken off the pant of one child.”

Complainant’s nephew, who was also victimised by the accused, came back to his house after a visit outside the state, and was also angry over his cousin being sent to his abuser.

On 3^rd March 2016, around two or three years after these incidents, it came on television news that Maulvi Ajaz Ahmad Sheikh was sexually abusing children.

In his testimony, the victim (PW8) said that when he was in 7^th standard in the year 2012, the victim went to the house of the accused along with his uncle who wanted a family problem resolved by the Maulvi/Pir Baba. The accused Pir Baba sent the uncle to another room and told the victim that ‘Jinn’ had entered his body. Pretending to be taken over by the Jinn, the accused Maulvi Ajaz Ahmad Sheikh said that the work to relieve the victim from his problem can only be done at night and sent his uncle away.

At night, the accused pretended to be possessed by a Jinn named Junaid and took off the clothes of a child present in the room and raped him in front of the PW8. The accused then told the deponent to take off his clothes but the deponent declined. The accused threatened the deponent that if he told about this incident to anybody, he would destroy his whole family. Then the accused had a non-consensual illicit intercourse with the deponent also.

At the time of the rape, the accused had closed the mouth of the deponent. Then the accused forced the deponent and the other child to have intercourse with each other. This horrific cycle of abuse continued for four years, inflicting severe mental trauma on the victim whose studies were also affected.

Another victim (PW5) told the court that he used to study in 3^rd standard when the accused Maulvi or Pir Baba used to teach Quran to him. The accused was also his teacher at the Sideeqiya Public High School Gund Brath ,Sopore. The victim said that since he was good in his studies, he had cordial relations with Maulvi Ajaz Ahmad Sheikh. However, the accused used to call him near the school when nobody was present there and used to bite him on his cheeks very forcefully.

Upon noticing that the victim raised no objection to his perverted behaviour, the accused told the victim’s father that he would take the victim with him. At that time, the accused was a tenant of one Mohammad Akbar in Dangarpora and he was the Imam of the local Masjid.

The accused brought the deponent to his rented premises where they stayed for the night. At night, the deponent and the accused slept together but the first night, the accused did nothing with the deponent, only hugged him tightly. The next time, the Maulvi forced the deponent by saying ― “you have to come with me”. The accused told the deponent that he has to do work for him in return of which he will be rewarded with a gift.

Maulvi Ajaz Ahmad Sheikh took advantage of the victim’s naivety and made him believe his lies that after reciting certain Quranic Aayats, ‘Jinn’ would enter the Maulvi’s body. After reciting those Aayats, the accused used to pretend like he was possessed by Jinn and claim that he (Jinn) has come to do the work of someone affected by black magic. He claimed that to protect the person from black magic, the Jinn has to do something.

Understanding that the victim was terrified of what was happening, the accused pretending to have been taken over by Jinn laid over the victim, and took off the boy’s trousers to satiate his lust, although he did not initially penetrate the victim. He told the victim that he had gotten the Taweez from Jinn. The two slept together and went to school the next day.

In his statement, prosecution witness number 5  said that on occasion, the Maulvi claimed that the person whose work the Jinn came to do, had given a gift to the boy and gave him Rs 30. One day the accused repeated the same theatrics of being possessed by Jinn and claimed that the Jinn wants to penetrate the boy.

Initially reluctant, the boy gave into the demand of the Maulvi pretending to be taken over by Jinn since he said that he would not suffer pain. The accused used to penetrate the anus of the deponent. The accused used to spit on the anus of the deponent and then penetrate him and the accused used to close the mouth of the deponent with his left hand so that the deponent could not scream and used to shut the voice of the deponent. The deponent used to suffer from very severe pain from this brutal act of the accused. The accused gratified his lust and repeated the same. All this while PW5 assumed that it was the Jinn who was sexually abusing him and Maulvi had nothing to do with it.

The Maulvi’s drama for gratifying his lust was exposed when the accused told the deponent that he stays away from his wife and goes home only once a week, and told the deponent that he should stay with him to fulfill his lust and begged the deponent for this. The boy refused his demand and stopped meeting him.

However, somehow the accused continued to bring the boy to his multiple rented accommodations and exploited the boy until he passed 5th standard and lost contact with the accused. The victim, who is now 27 years old, however, said that this abuse at the hands of the Maulvi caused him mental trauma.

Similarly, another victim (PW11) said in his statement that when he was in 10^th standard, his friends recommended he visit the accused Pir Baba as he would make him a Taweez which somehow would help him pass the examination. Since the deponent was weak in studies, he went to the accused who asked him to stay with him at night.

At night, the accused inquired about the victim’s problem, who then told the Maulvi that he was weak in his studies. Out of nowhere, Maulvi Ajaz Ahmad Sheikh asked the victim to stand straight and remove his pants, upon refusing, the accused threatened and made the victim remove his pants. Subsequently, he raped the minor boy and threatened to harm his family if he told anyone about his deeds. He used to call the victim to his place and rape him at night. This abusive cycle continued for one year. During this time, the victim said that he went to the accused Maulvi’s place about 100 times and spent 30-40 nights with him.

The cousin of PW8 had also narrated his ordeal in the statement recorded in 2018. The victim (PW3) told how like with other victims, the accused pretended to be possessed by a Jinn and until his work was done, the Jinn would not be happy. In this case, however, the victim said that he was forced by the Maulvi to rape another minor boy whom the accused had raped in front of him. Before this, the accused had asked the victim if he was gay to which he agreed. The next day, the victim went to his home and told his father that he would not again go to the accused ‘s home because he was not a good person and narrated the whole story to him.

In his statement recorded in 2019, another victim (PW4) said that he had known the accused Pir Baba since 2015, and narrated how he came in contact with the accused as well as how he fell into his trap since the Maulvi claimed that the victim’s father was going through a rough patch in his business. Later, the victim went to the accused again, who asked him to converse with a Muwakkil/Jinn. The accused pretending to be Muwakkil told the deponent to stand up, and then the accused told the deponent to remove his pants. Then the accused misbehaved with the deponent and in the morning, the deponent left. The victim went to the accused’s house for about 10 to 20 times and was subjected to physical abuse by the Maulvi.

The testimonies of multiple victims indicated that the accused Maulvi Ajaz Ahmad Sheikh had a modus operandi where he invited the victims for Islamic religious healing/problem-solving using supposed supernatural methods, isolated them, and then engaged in unnatural sexual acts. The paedophile thrived on the desperation of Muslim families looking to obtain miraculous solutions to their practical problems and the vulnerability coupled with the naivety of children.

Arguments presented in Maulvi Ajaz Ahmad Sheikh’s defence

In defence of the accused, his counsel challenged the prosecution’s case on grounds of procedural lapses, lack of evidence, and alleged contradictions in testimonies. The defence also alleged potential ‘ulterior motives’ behind the accusations levelled against the Pir Baba. It alleged delay in filing of FIRs, not many victims coming forward, supposed lack of corroboration from other victims, alleged attempts to falsely implicate the accused to settle financial disputes, absence of medical proof, and the lack of specific timeline of the offences. The defence prayed before the court that Maulvi Ajaz Ahmad Sheikh alias Pir Sahib be acquitted of all charges.

The court’s general observations

The court dismissed the defence’s argument that the accused Maulvi had been falsely accused of unnatural sexual offences to settle financial scores.

“This final witness of defence D-E shatters the roots of the non-standing defence of the accused. This defence is the defence for the heck of it with no proof documentary or oral or a consistent first-hand knowledge of any of the defence witnesses,” the court said adding that the defence’s argument is devoid of documentary evidence.

The court also observed that character references become immaterial in sexual abuse cases. Besides, the court noted that delay in reporting sexual offences is a well-documented phenomenon and has been recognized by courts as not weakening the credibility of a case. Furthermore, the court pointed out that the accused Maulvi/Pir Baba failed to provide an alibi or any direct evidence contradicting the victims‘ testimonies.

Regarding the defence’s challenge to the credibility of witnesses, the court said that the prosecution presented twelve witnesses, including victims, their parents, independent corroborative witnesses, and the investigating officer. It noted that the victims consistently detailed the acts of sexual abuse.

The court also observed that testimonies of the victim indicate that the accused had a similar modus operandi in all cases which included luring the victims on the pretext of Islamic religious healing, isolating them and indulging in unnatural sexual acts with them.

Furthermore, the court found that despite extensive cross-examinations, the defence failed to reveal any substantial contradiction in witness testimonies. The court also found no merit in the defence’s argument that the victims had any personal animosity with the accused due to which they falsely implicated him.

The court also dismissed all the arguments presented by the defence over the statements of the complainant and family members.

The court observed that charges against the accused were read in open court, and he was given the opportunity to respond under Section 342 J&K CrPC. His defence of false implication lacks substantive merit due to the consistency and credibility of the victim’s testimonies.

Noting the deductive conclusions in the cases of PW8 and PW3, the court said that these cases qualify for a joint trial. The court also observed that victims such as PW9 and others who allege abuse dating back to 2001-2002 have cases that are temporally and contextually distinct and must be tried separately.

Final determination

In view of the arguments presented by both, the defence and prosecution, as well as its observations, the court found that “proof of Guilt Prosecution has proven beyond reasonable doubt.”

The court determined that the delay in FIR is justified and it does not affect credibility. In addition, the court observed that a lack of medical evidence is not fatal to the case if the victim’s testimony is credible. The court also stated that the financial dispute claim is unsubstantiated and does not raise reasonable doubt.

Moreover, the court said that a joint trial is legally appropriate under Section 223 JK CrPC. The court added that “sentencing powers of CJM can impose 7 years per offense, with consecutive sentencing totalling 14 years, simple rigorous and fine.”

Justifying the conviction of Maulvi Ajaz Ahmad Sheikh, the CJM court said, “This court, upon meticulous examination of the evidence presented, finds that the prosecution has successfully discharged its burden of proving the guilt of the accused beyond a reasonable doubt. The testimonies of PW3 and PW8, being direct victims of the crime, have remained consistent, cogent, and unshaken despite rigorous cross-examination. Their statements under Sections 161 & 164A CrPC, as well as their depositions before the Court, corroborate the sequence of events in material particulars. The absence of contradictions or inconsistencies further strengthens their credibility.“

On the reliability of victim testimonies and lack of ulterior motives to falsely implicate Maulvi, the court said, “It is a well-settled principle of law that in cases  involving sexual offences, the testimony of the victim if found trustworthy and reliable, is sufficient to base a conviction without requiring further corroboration. The Hon‘ble Supreme Court in State of Punjab v. Gurmit Singh (1996) reiterated that the Court should not expect a victim to manufacture artificial evidence or produce eye-witnesses, as such crimes often take place in seclusion.”

The court cited the case of PW8 to assert that the accused Maulvi being a self-styled Islamic preacher had a certain level of dominance and trust in the victim’s life, “making it psychologically difficult for the victim to come forward immediately.”

Thus, the court observed that a delay in filing of FIR does not affect the veracity of allegations in this case considering the reliable victim testimonies and the existing socio-psychological factors.

The court mentioned the abuse of religious authority and repeated offences as the aggravating factors in this case. During the evaluation of the aggravating factors, the court found that all the victims were minors and the accused exploited his religious authority, his sexual offence was not an isolated incident but had a pattern of perpetual abuse extending over a span of years. The court said that the crimes of Maulvi Ajaz Ahmad Sheikh caused severe emotional and psychological trauma to his victims.

It further reiterated that the defence’s attempts to discredit prosecution witnesses were “unconvincing”.

Citing the “compelling, reliable and legally admissible evidence presented by the prosecution the court found that Pir Baba/Maulvi Ajaz Ahmad Sheikh’s offenses victimising PW8 and PW3 warrant conviction.

“In light of the compelling, reliable, and legally admissible evidence presented by the prosecution, this Court holds that the accused is guilty of committing unnatural offenses punishable under Section 377 RPC affecting the body mind and soul of PW8 & PW3 in the joint trial in case FIR No. 22/2016. The prosecution has established all ingredients of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt, warranting conviction for victimizing PW8 & PW3. The defense has failed to create any substantial doubt that would merit an acquittal,” the court said.

CJM Mir Wajahat further stated that the Maulvi Ajaz Ahmad Sheikh subjected the two victims to unnatural sexual intercourse during their childhood, exploiting their vulnerability under the guise of offering blessings.

“By dominating their will, manipulating their psyche, and exerting control, he subjected their bodies, minds, and souls to persistent acts of brutality over the years, shrouding his crimes in ostentation while inflicting upon them the unbearable shame of his misconduct,” the court order reads.

While the CJM lauded the courage demonstrated by PW4, PW5, PW9, and PW11 in recounting their harrowing ordeal, he refrained from extensive elaboration given the investigation in their cases is impending. The court, however, ordered the filing of separate FIRs in their cases alongside other victims seeking justice against the accused ‘Pir Baba’. In this regard, the court issued the direction to Sopore SP. The court also directed the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) to provide immediate legal aid to these victims to safeguard their access to justice. The DLSA has been instructed to file a compliance report within 90 days.

“If this judgment serves as a catalyst for those silent voices—who have long endured unspeakable trauma, struggled in the shadows of despair, and now look toward the law with the last vestiges of hope—then justice has, in some measure, already begun to prevail,” the court said.

In a rather unconventional move, the Baramulla CJM wrote a poem towards the end of his order. The poem titled “Whispers of Faith, Echoes of Fear”, apparently was CJM Mir Wajahat’s poetic attempt at conveying the gravity and emotional toll of the crimes committed against the victims. As he writes that “And though the scars may never fade, The dawn will break—unafraid”, the CJM invokes hope for justice for those victimised by paedophiles and rapists like Maulvi Ajaz Ahmad Sheikh.