Assam: Lok Sabha independent candidate arrested on charges of rape in Nagaon

Abu Shama, an independent candidate in the Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency was arrested by Juria police on Saturday evening following grave allegations of sexual harassment, blackmail, and extortion.

The arrest came after a woman from the Juria area filed a case against Shama, accusing him of rape and the viral distribution of an obscene video. According to sources, Shama, who allegedly runs an illegal pharmacy in Juria Bazar, drugged the woman during a visit for medical purposes, filmed her in an unconscious state, and later used the footage to extort several lakhs of rupees from her.

The victim's complaint detailed a pattern of harassment and threats, stating that Shama siphoned off substantial sums by leveraging the incriminating video. She lodged the FIR with the Superintendent of Police, Nagaon, prompting swift action from local law enforcement.

Shama was presented before a local court immediately following his arrest and was remanded to judicial custody. The police confirmed that the investigation is ongoing, with further charges likely to be brought against Shama as more details emerge.

In a related development, Juria police also apprehended two local digital media journalists, Saddam Hussain and Khairul Islam, on charges of blackmail and extortion. The journalists allegedly demanded money from Shama in exchange for suppressing a news story about his involvement in another case of sexual harassment and blackmail.

Shama had filed a counter-complaint against the journalists, accusing them of extortion following their broadcast of a news item implicating him in further illicit activities. Both Hussain and Islam are currently in police custody as investigations continue.