Marriage racket busted in Hyderabad, 8 sheikhs arrested

The Hyderabad police on Wednesday arrested eight sheikhs and four Muslim clerics for allegedly being part of a marriage racket. The arrested sheikhs hail from Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar.

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad police on Wednesday arrested eight sheikhs and four Muslim clerics for allegedly being part of a marriage racket. The arrested sheikhs hail from Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar.

The clerics were held on the charges of cheating innocent girls in the name of marriage.

According to police, the sheikhs from Saudi Arabia had married two minor girls - Falakhnuma and Chandrayan Gutta - on contract basis.

The police also arrested four lodge owners and five marriage brokers.

On Monday, the chief qazi of Mumbai, Fareed Ahmed Khan, was also detained for allegedly providing marriage certificate for the minor girl which helped an Omani sheikh to obtain a visa.

Several marriage rackets have been busted in the past by the police in Hyderabad which reportedly persuades girl`s parents to get them married to sheikhs on a contractual basis by offering money.

(With ANI inputs)