CCTV trail from July 2025 under scanner as Nagpur NGO chief faces sexual harassment, religious coercion charges

NAGPUR: CCTV footage spanning a year will be recovered from the premises of the office of NGO president, Riyaz Fazil Qazi, who's embroiled in a sexual harassment and religious coercion case, said police after another search of the premises on Wednesday.

Footage from July 2025 onwards will be examined to corroborate allegations of sexual harassment, molestation, religious coercion and defamation levelled against the NGO chief and his sister organisations engaged in providing education to underprivileged children.

Qazi, 48, arrested late Saturday, remains in police custody till April 23. At least four women employees, including the 23-year-old HR and administration head, have accused him of summoning them to his cabin, switching off CCTV cameras and making physical advances.

The complainants have also alleged that Qazi coerced women staff to adopt Islamic practices like offering namaz and observing roza, threatening them with adverse consequences if they refused, said police.

The survivor and her sister told cops they resigned due to the hostile work environment and accused Qazi of running a fake Instagram account to stalk and defame women staff.

Senior police officials said retrieving CCTV footage is aimed at establishing a clear behavioural pattern. "Besides call records, digital evidence and witness statements collected during the office raid, the one-year footage will be crucial in collating evidence," a senior officer told TOI.

Investigators are facing an uphill task in counselling the survivors. Many of the women are traumatised and hesitant to speak in detail, forcing police to deploy women officers to build confidence and assure protection and confidentiality.

The NGO, which claims to work for underprivileged children, has been functioning for nearly 16 years. Police have seized laptops, mobile phones and other devices during the raid and are now contacting former employees who left the organisation over the years. The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad is also assisting in examining funding sources and activities of the NGO.


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