The 7 Investigators are talking with a victim of child genital mutilation as we probe the reclusive sect whose members are charged with committing similar acts.
It came to light after a raid at a Livonia clinic where federal authorities say genital mutilation was taking place on young children.
As the 7 Investigators approached the front door Monday, a woman inside yelled for us to leave.
Neighboring businesses say this wasn’t your traditional busy doctor’s office. They would see patients coming and going at all hours of the day and night."
Three people have been charged: the Northville doctor accused of performing female circumcisions on girls as young as 7 and the husband and wife who opened their clinic to the doctor.
Friends of the clinic owner taking to the press in India in support called the ritual performed: “non insertive and performed on each and every female member of our community."
Just how many of these rituals have been performed on children at the Michigan clinic is still under investigation, but there is one thing in common with the three arrested.
They are part of the close-knit Indian Muslim community known as Dawoodi Bohra. Members consider genital cutting to be a religious norm.
During the process the girls are instructed to remain quiet. Meaning the number of victims among us might be higher than one would think.
We visited the sect’s gathering place, a mosque in Farmington Hills.
No one was there when we visited; there was no signage either except for those instructing gender rules.
Neighbors say members don’t live openly nearby, Only occasionally do they show up to pray - mostly at night.
Their website is password protected, Shielding the outside from knowing much about their doings.
But we’ve learned of another connection. Dr. Jumana Nagarwala, the doctor charged with performing the mutilation, is not only a member.
Her husband is reportedly one of the mosque's leaders, raising the question of how much did the mosque know about its members allegedly breaking us law.
We visited the doctor's home today to question her husband. No one was home.
