The rampant racket of contract marriage, also termed as sex tourism, has, for long, troubled Muslim community in Hyderabad.
On a number of occasions in the past, local police busted the racket and arrested the culprits. But this did not deter the touts from luring more vulnerable families.
Contract marriage or Nikah-e-Mutaa, is prohibited in Islam, but thanks to the connivance of local Qazis and touts that this has made many young poverty-stricken girls victims of sex tourism in Hyderabad.
Hyderabad police recently busted one more racket after an underage victim, Nausheen Tabassum, was able to escape from her house and narrate her moving story to cops.
According to reports, Nausheen was ‘sold’ to a rich executive from a Sudan-based oil company for marriage, which was meant to have last for one month.
Her parents allegedly brokered the deal for Rs 100,000 through Tabassum’s aunt. The ‘bridegroom’ was 44-year-old Usama Ibrahim Mohammed, who was already married back in his country and two children in Khartoum, Sudan’s capital.
The Qazi performed Nikah at the bride’s house, where the groom demanded sexual contact a day later. Tabassum, according to police, refused to oblige the Sudanese man’s desire.
According to police inspector, Vijay Kumar, the groom had paid Rs. 1 Lakh to Mumtaz Begum, aunt of the girl.
Begum paid Rs. 70,000 to the parents of the girl, Rs.5,000 to the Qazi, Rs 5,000 to the Urdu translator who helped the groom and the bride family with the conversations from Arabic to Urdu, while she kept the remaining Rs. 20,000 herself.
Both wedding certificate and Talaknama were issued simultaneously with the divorce certificate stating that that couple will separate a month later.
The girl managed to escape her house and contacted police in Moghalpura area of Hyderabad.
The police later arrested the groom, the victim’s aunt Begum and the Qazi. Police also issued an arrest warrant for her parents.
Tabssum’s story has surfaced barely two months after another victim, Mehrin Sharif, a 20-year-old from Azampura, who got married six months ago, had a very short married life.
Her husband who was an Omani returned to Oman leaving her helpless at the doors of the Telangana Minorities Commission for Justice.
The Hindu reported that Sharif was disowned by her parents and left at the mercy of the state government.
Most of the complainants are often between the ages of 18 to 25 while the rates for contract marriages vary between Rs.1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.
