'Don't tell anyone else'; Trouble mounts for religious scholar as audio message surfaces

KOLLAM: More details emerged regarding the abuse of a 16-year-old girl by YouTuber and religious scholar Muhammed Niyas Jauhari. An audio message from the accused, Muhammed Niyas surfaced where he can be heard threatening the girl to not reveal the details of what happened. The police are currently investigating whether the accused sexually assaulted the girl or not.

"Let’s drop this matter; do not speak of it to anyone else. As long as you live, no one should ever hear about this from you—no matter who asks or what they ask, do not mention it. Just let it go," the voice message states.

On Monday, the Karunagappally police arrested Muhammed Niyas Jauhari—who also serves as the director of an institution called Al-Habibia Islamic Academy—in connection with a case involving the sexual assault of a 16-year-old girl. It has also been discovered that significant financial transactions took place involving this institution.

The police initiated further investigations centred on the institution. According to the girl's statement, the perpetrator claimed that her paternal grandmother was possessed by a spirit and that he needed to conduct an exorcism. He summoned both the girl and her grandmother to the 'Al-Habibia Islamic Academy.' The complaint alleged that he abused her there, at the house he was renting, and subsequently at various other locations. The girl further stated that she was subjected to this abuse through threats.

The girl had confided in her friends about the incident, which took place in October and November 2025. Following this, a complaint was filed with the police. Muhammed Niyas Jauhari, a vlogger and religious preacher, frequently shares videos of his religious discourses on social media. He has a large number of followers on both YouTube and Instagram.