Indian-Origin Imam Sentenced to Life for Raping 7 Women and Girls in UK Using Supernatural Djinn Claims
Abdul Halim Khan, an East London imam, sentenced to life with minimum 20 years for raping seven women and girls including children as young as 12, using djinn and black magic threats to silence victims.
A deeply disturbing case has shaken communities across the UK after Abdul Halim Khan, a 54-year-old imam based in East London's Old Ford Road, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 20 years at Snaresbrook Crown Court. Khan was found guilty of 21 counts of rape, s*xual assault, and child s*xual offences against seven women and girls, including children as young as 12, from the local Bangladeshi Muslim community over a nine-year period between 2005 and 2014.
How Khan Exploited Religious Authority to Abuse Victims
Khan systematically exploited his position as a trusted religious figure to lure vulnerable women and girls to isolated locations, including hidden flats. He claimed to be possessed by a djinn, a supernatural spirit, while carrying out forced s*xual acts. He convinced victims he could cleanse them of evil spirits and threatened them with black magic and harm to their families if they ever spoke out. Superdry Co-Founder James Holder Convicted in Rape Case After Cheltenham Night Out.
In one particularly harrowing instance, Khan told a young victim that only he could cure her ovarian cancer, drove her to a secluded location, and raped her.
Judge Calls Out Khan's Monstrous Betrayal of Trust
Sentencing Khan, Judge Leslie Cuthbert said the imam hid behind a public image of holiness while taking monstrous advantage of women who trusted him entirely for his own s*xual gratification. The judge noted that Khan deliberately targeted Bangladeshi Muslim women and girls, banking on their fear of his religious authority and their feelings of shame to ensure their silence. UK Man Rapes Sikh Woman After Mistaking Her for Muslim, Says ‘Wanted To Have Fun’.
"You behaved as if you were untouchable," Judge Cuthbert told Khan in court.
Victims Speak Out
All seven victims, three of whom were teenage girls at the time of the abuse, described the devastating and lasting impact of Khan's crimes. One victim told the court she was just 13 years old when she was first s*xually assaulted. Another told the BBC simply, "To me, Khan is not a human being. He is evil personified."
Lead prosecutor Sarah Morris KC confirmed that Khan used religious manipulation, threats of black magic, and claims of supernatural possession to silence every victim for years.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 16, 2026 04:31 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).