Residents of Rochdale, England are in shock and outrage as Qari Abdul Rauf, the notorious leader of an Asian grooming gang, continues to live freely in the town almost a decade after his release from prison, Daily Mail reports.
In response to the news, Elon Musk, who has recently become increasingly involved in UK politics, posted on his X account, calling the situation “insane.”
Despite being told he would be deported, the 55-year-old remains in the same area where he carried out his horrific crimes. Neighbours describe Rauf walking around “like he owns the place,” leaving many to wonder why he has not been removed from the country.
Last year, Rauf was spotted delivering for a takeaway app, raising concerns among locals that he could encounter one of his victims during his job. Rauf was among nine members of the Rochdale grooming gang, jailed in 2012 for the sexual abuse and trafficking of young girls across England. After serving two and a half years of a six-year prison sentence, he was supposed to be deported to Pakistan in 2014. However, despite multiple attempts by UK authorities to remove him, Rauf remains in the UK.
Tech billionaire Musk has repeatedly criticised the UK government’s mishandling of grooming gangs, demanding accountability from Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage. Musk has also shown support for Andrew Tate’s political ambitions, backing the self-proclaimed “misogynist” in his bid to become the UK’s next Prime Minister. He has condemned UK politics as a whole, calling for justice for the families of the victims.
The continued presence of Rauf in Rochdale has left residents disgusted and fearful. One mother living near Rauf said, “Nobody can believe that monster is still here after what he did to those young girls. It’s disgusting. What is the country coming to? Why is he still here? My kids used to play with his daughters. It’s terrifying to think he could be around children now.” Another neighbour recalled, “I can’t believe he was bringing food to people’s doors. Just imagine it – you’re one of his victims, and you open the door to get your meal, and he’s there. What if he popped up on the doorstep of a girl he abused?”
Rauf isn’t the only member of the Rochdale grooming gang who has avoided deportation. Other gang members, like Aldi Khan and Abdul Aziz, have also managed to stay in the UK. Both men gave up their Pakistani citizenship but used the European Convention on Human Rights to block being sent back. This has only made local residents more frustrated, as they feel the UK government isn’t doing enough to take action.
