MUMBAI: A maulana of small mosque in Sangam Nagar in Wadala who used to sexually assault small children who came to learn Arabic, was arrested by Wadala TT police on Saturday.

Abrarul Haque (29) and his assistant Irfan both have been booked under IPC sections of 354, 509 and sections 8 and 12 of protection of children from sexual assault. While police have arrested Haque from the mosque, police are looking for Irfan who is absconding said Suhash Garood, senior inspector of Wadala Truck Terminals police station.

Haque was arrested after a 14-year-old girl and her parents walked-in to a police station on Saturday and filed a complaint mentioning that he passed lewd remarks and tried to molest her.

Haque is a native of Banaras and had come to the city two and half years ago. As he was qualified in religious teaching, the trustees of the madrassa, which is a part of the Bilali masjid in Sangam Nagar in Wadala, had appointed him as the Imam. His basic duty was to lead the prayers and in the spare time teach Arabic.

Police said that several children— boys and girls from the nearby slums of Sangam Nagar used to come to learn Arabic.

"Apart from the complainant, people have now approached us claiming that he was a habitual offender as children had complained regarding his advances. He has been remanded to police custody and we are trying to find his associate," said Garood. Members of the public have said that they will see that he is sacked from the preist’s post.