Father-son duo booked for defamatory social media post after broken engagement

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

A father and son allegedly posted defamatory content about a young woman on social media after her family refused their dowry demands, leading to a broken engagement.

The accused, Sohel Ajhar Pathan and Ajhar Afsar Pathan, residents of Hanuman Nagar, Garkheda, now face legal action after the woman’s family reported the harassment. The 19-year-old woman’s engagement with Sohel was called off in January 2024 when her family rejected excessive dowry demands. Moving on, they arranged her marriage to another man, set for February 23.

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Social media harassment begins

As wedding preparations progressed, the woman’s fiancé received shocking Instagram messages on February 19. The messages contained offensive remarks and morphed, obscene images of the woman. Investigations revealed Sohel as the sender.

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Confrontation and threats

The woman’s family confronted the accused at their residence, urging them to stop. Instead, Sohel’s father allegedly dismissed their concerns, stating, “I am a political worker; no one can touch me.” The harassment escalated on February 23 when Ajhar Pathan allegedly posted more defamatory content using the woman’s pictures.

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Police action

Following the woman’s complaint, PSI Anuradha Patil registered an FIR at Jawaharnagar police station. PI Ashok Sharmale is leading the investigation into the case, which highlights the growing misuse of social media for harassment.