Jerusalem ? The story reads like pulp fiction: The wayward son of a powerful rabbinic family kidnaps and violently abuses his teenage sister’s would-be suitor to prevent an affair that violates the family’s strict religious codes.

The real-life tale culminated in the arrest earlier this week of the wife, daughter and son of Israel’s Sephardic chief rabbi, Shlomo Amar.

The family members were suspected in the abduction and assault of a 17-year-old, ultra-Orthodox youth because they reportedly objected to his relationship with the rabbi’s 18-year-old daughter, Ayala.

“They cut off his side locks, ripped his skull cap, beat him, spat at him, humiliated him and set the dogs on him,” chief police investigator Alon Grossman told Israel Army Radio.

However, another of the rabbi’s sons denied any family plot, saying his brother had acted alone and was alienated from the family and its values.

Amar serves as Sephardi Chief Rabbi for Jews who originated in North Africa and Spain. Chief rabbis are state officials.

In ultra-Orthodox Jewish society, contact between unmarried men and women is frowned upon.

Grossman did not specify when the arrests were made but said the investigation began 10 days ago when the youth was brought to a Tel Aviv area hospital suffering from injuries to his head, throat and other body parts.

The family wanted to teach the youth that this sort of relationship was unacceptable, Grossman said.