Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], November 19 (ANI): A 22-year-old woman has lodged a complaint with police against a youth in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal, accusing him of sexual assault and deception under the pretext of marriage, officials said on Tuesday.

Police have registered a case and initiated an investigation, they said.

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Officials said that the accused, identified as Akif Siddiqui, had developed a friendship with the victim in 2023 through a mutual acquaintance.

Over time, their relationship progressed, and the accused allegedly took money from the woman via online transactions. Recently the accused reportedly established physical relations with the victim on the promise of marriage, police said.

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"When the victim asked Siddiqui to marry her, he refused, prompting her to approach the police and lodge a complaint," Mahila Police Station incharge Anjana Dubey told ANI.

Acting on the complaint, police registered a case under relevant of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023 against the accused and have launched a hunt to nab him.

We are further looking into the matter, Dubey added. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)