Worried that her husband’s political connections – he was a 27-year-old first-term councilman at the time – might cause the local police to side with Khairullah, N.K. , instead reported the alleged assault to the Clifton Police Department to seek a temporary restraining order.

Khairullah held a news conference that promised to produce N.K., who were separated and in the process of divorcing. But N.K. wound up not attending, and Khairullah instead released a signed statement on her behalf saying it was just a family dispute.

Khairullah was also charged with simple assault in 2020, but the charges were later dismissed. A 2005 harassment complaint against him was also dropped.

Records show that Khairullah was arrested for aggravated assault and attempting to cause bodily harm with a deadly weapon on November 29, one day after N.K.filed her complaint.