Bail to US citizen, 2 Indians held on conversion charge

Thane: A court in Thane district has granted bail to an American citizen and two Indian co-accused who were arrested earlier this month for allegedly attempting religious conversion, observing no "fruitful purpose" will be served by keeping them in jail.

Additional Sessions Court at Bhiwandi town, presided over by Judge N L Kale, granted bail to the accused, also charged with violation of Maharashtra's anti-superstition Act, while adhering to the legal principle that "bail is rule and jail is an exception".

As per the October 29 judgement, US national James Leonard Watson (58), his co-accused Sainath Ganpati Sarpe (42) and Manoj Govind Kolha (35), both local residents, were to be released on a bail bond of Rs 30,000 each.


The case levelled a host of charges against the three men, including under relevant sections of the BNS, the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and Other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013, and the Foreigners Act, 1946 (invoked against Watson).