Bhojpuri actor arrested for raping, marrying woman under false identity
What's the story
The Ghaziabad Police have arrested a 31-year-old Bhojpuri actor and influencer, Mani Meraj, alias Ramdi Miraj Alam. He was apprehended on October 4 from Patna's Gardanibagh area after a woman lodged an FIR against him at the Khoda police station in Ghaziabad. The woman claimed that Meraj deceived her by using a false identity and exploited her over a period of nearly three years. Assistant Commissioner of Police Abhishek Shrivastav revealed, "He has been arrested and is now being questioned."
Allegations
'Meraj spiked my soft drink...'
The woman alleged that Meraj had raped her after spiking her drink. "At first... Meraj spiked my soft drink that rendered me unconscious, and then he raped me," she claimed in her statement to the police. She alleged that under pressure and fear of social stigma, she agreed to marry him. "Later, he took me to his home and secretly married me, while instructing me not to tell anyone about the marriage."
Family pressure
'He took all my hard-earned money...'
The woman further alleged that Meraj's family pressured her to convert to Islam and assaulted her when she refused. "He took all my hard-earned money," she claimed in the statement. She also accused Meraj of forcing her to eat beef, giving her abortion pills, and repeatedly physically assaulting her.
Threats
Meraj had illicit relationships with several other women
The woman said she later learned that Meraj was involved with several other women and was already the father of two children. When she confronted him about it, his family allegedly threatened to kill her. Police have booked Meraj on charges of rape, unnatural offences, and criminal intimidation under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.