Nagpur, June 18: The Nagpur Police have arrested a cleric who was allegedly involved in the forced religious conversion of a 24-year-old woman, the wife of an Indian Air Force officer. The accused, identified as Hazrat Maulana, was apprehended in Madhya Pradesh and brought into custody for questioning.

The case, which surfaced earlier this week, has attracted widespread attention due to the serious allegations made by the woman. In her complaint, she accused a former classmate and his several associates of sexual assault, blackmail, coercive religious conversion, and performing rituals claimed to be linked to black magic.

The controversy intensified after a video circulated widely on social media. The footage allegedly showed a man holding the woman by the hand while reciting religious verses. The video sparked outrage and led to increased scrutiny of the case.

According to NDTV, the principal accused, Ayaaz Madare (26), and his associate, Ameen Shaikh, are already in police custody. Investigators believe the arrested cleric played a significant role in the alleged conversion process and the conduct of a purported marriage ceremony.

As detailed in the FIR, the woman alleged that on February 8, 2025, she met Ayaaz at a hotel where he allegedly mixed an intoxicating substance into her drink. She claimed that after losing consciousness, compromising photographs and videos were taken without her consent. The accused allegedly used these materials to threaten her, warning that they would be shared with her husband and posted online. The woman further alleged that she was repeatedly subjected to sexual assault and forced to hand over nearly Rs 4 lakh.

In the viral video, the woman can reportedly be seen crying and pleading to be released while the accused recites verses and performs rituals. She claimed that following the incident, she was told that she had been converted against her will and that further attempts were made to sexually assault her.

The complainant also alleged that Ayaaz regularly forced her to consume a liquid from a plastic bottle. After drinking it, she claimed he would chant in Urdu, blow on her face, and describe the process as hypnosis or black magic before assaulting her.

Another incident mentioned in the complaint allegedly took place on May 31, when the woman was taken to Kalmeshwar by the accused and his associate. There, Hazrat Maulana allegedly conducted religious rituals and compelled her to utter “qubool hai” against her wishes. She stated that the cleric subsequently declared her conversion and performed a nikah ceremony with Ayaaz.

Police officials said further details are expected to emerge during the cleric’s interrogation. Investigators are now seeking documents related to the alleged marriage and examining whether additional individuals were involved. Authorities are also exploring whether similar incidents involving other women may have occurred.

New Delhi, June 18: Ahead of the NEET (UG)-2026 re-examination scheduled for June 21, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has announced that nearly 16 lakh candidates have successfully downloaded their admit cards. The admit cards were released on June 14 for candidates appearing in the retest.

The NTA stated that it had received requests from several candidates who were unable to complete their account details due to various reasons and sought direct access to download their admit cards.

In response, the agency has decided to provide all candidates with the opportunity to download their admit cards for NEET (UG)-2026 through the official website, using their login credentials and selecting one of the available options.

Candidates may either choose to download their admit card immediately and complete the review and confirmation of their bank details for the examination fee refund at a later stage, or review and confirm their bank details first and then proceed to download the admit card.

The NTA has advised candidates facing any difficulty in downloading their admit cards to contact the agency through its helpline numbers, 011-40759000 or 011-69227700, or email their concerns to (neetug2026@nta.ac.in).

Candidates have also been urged to regularly visit the official websites of the NTA and NEET for the latest updates and announcements related to the examination.

Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has transported question papers for the NEET-UG 2026 retest to 18 locations across the country as part of extensive security arrangements ahead of the examination.

The move comes amid heightened efforts by authorities to ensure that the re-examination is conducted smoothly, securely, and without any irregularities. Officials said the use of Air Force aircraft is intended to ensure the safe and timely delivery of question papers to designated distribution hubs nationwide.

The NTA, in coordination with other government agencies, has implemented a multi-layered security framework for the re-examination. Security personnel, local administration officials, and law enforcement agencies have been deployed to oversee the transportation, storage, and distribution of examination materials.

In addition, sensitive examination centres will be placed under enhanced surveillance. Authorities have introduced strict monitoring mechanisms to prevent any attempts to tamper with question papers or disrupt the examination process.

The NEET-UG 2026 retest will be conducted on June 21 for candidates affected by issues identified during the earlier examination process. The examination remains one of the largest entrance tests in the country and serves as the gateway for admission to undergraduate medical courses across India.

Evian (France), June 18: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday in an official statement that Prime Minister Modi met the US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France’s Evian and discussed end of West Asia conflict, significant progress in the India-US interim trade deal and bilateral cooperation in terms of defence, strategic technologies, energy, and trade sectors between the two countries.

Prime Minister Modi commended President Trump for his efforts that had resulted in an understanding to end the ongoing conflict in West Asia and restore peace and stability across the broader region, the MEA statement said.

The Prime Minister also underlined the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation and unimpeded commerce in the Strait of Hormuz and the need to ensure the safety of seafarer, the MEA statement added.

Taking to his official social media plaform X, PM Modi said: “Pleased to meet President Trump in Evian. We reviewed the sustained progress in our bilateral cooperation in trade, energy, defence, technology and people-to-people ties. Conveyed India’s appreciation on the progress in the efforts for restoring peace and stability in West Asia. Keeping the Strait of Hormuz open is vital for the global economy. Reiterated the importance of ensuring the safety and security of civilians, including seafarers.”

“Both PM Modi and President Trump reviewed the substantial progress achieved under the India–US COMPACT (Catalysing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce and Technology) since their meeting in Washington D.C. in February 2025,” the MEA said in the statement.

The two leaders welcomed key developments across the defence, strategic technologies, energy, and bilateral trade sectors, the MEA statement added.

“The leaders noted with particular satisfaction the significant progress made in negotiations towards an interim Bilateral Trade Agreement and instructed their officials to work towards a “balanced, mutually beneficial, and commercially meaningful agreement at the earliest”. The US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, will be visiting India next week in this connection.”

“Prime Minister Modi and President Trump reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and advancing cooperation across all domains for the mutual benefit of the two countries and their people,” the MEA added.