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News Topical, Digital Desk : An NGO working for children in the northwest area of Nagpur has come under scrutiny. Several young women have leveled serious allegations against the NGO's head, including sexual exploitation and religious pressure. An FIR was filed at the Mankapur police station on Saturday night. The accused, Riyaz Fazil Qazi, was immediately arrested.
This case comes on the heels of the alleged sexual and religious harassment case at the TCS Nashik unit and the sexual assault case in Paratwada, Amravati district, which has drawn investigations from intelligence agencies. According to sources, the state's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has launched a parallel investigation into the NGO's background, its financial dealings, and its possible links beyond its stated purpose of educating children from poor families.
The accused was harassing her for two years.
According to the information, the main complainant is a 23-year-old woman who had been working as the administration and HR head at the NGO since September 2023. According to the FIR, on July 18, 2024, after an office celebration at around 1 p.m. on her birthday, Qazi called her into his cabin. There, he hugged her against her will, kissed her on the forehead, and said, “I don't want to let you go today.”
The complainant claimed that she couldn't muster the courage to resist for fear of losing her job. The victim further alleged that she was repeatedly assaulted, including one incident where the accused allegedly unplugged the CCTV before attempting to embrace her. She stated that when she resisted his advances, he began to behave rudely towards her.
He used to keep an eye on fake social media accounts.
She also claimed that the accused would touch her when she was alone and gather information about her from others. She also accused Qazi of creating a fake social media account using parts of his and her name to monitor the movements of female staff and volunteers. According to police sources, the FIR states that the victim's elder sister, who joined the NGO as an assistant project manager in November 2025, was also pressured by the accused to recite prayers of a particular religion and wear special clothing that covered her entire body for safe travel during field visits.
Furthermore, the complainant stated that other employees had also quit their jobs due to Qazi's behavior, including a 24-year-old teacher who had joined the NGO in 2024. The complainant stated that some reported staring or attempts to impose religious practices on them, even though Qazi knew they were from a different religion. One particularly serious allegation related to a phone call made to the mother of a former employee on April 13, in which Qazi used abusive language.
The case was registered on April 18
Meanwhile, when the victim group arrived at the NGO's office on April 18th, it was found closed. They then contacted the police, and a case was registered. Senior Inspector Haresh Kalsekar of the Mankapur police station stated that all victims will be contacted. The accused was arrested and produced in court on Sunday, and the court remanded him to police custody until April 23rd. The case is being investigated from various angles. Further action will be taken after examining CCTV footage and other evidence.
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