No evidence found of forceful conversion: UP govt tells HC in Muzaffarnagar case

In one of the first few cases that were filed under the UP Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Ordinance, 2020, the state on Thursday submitted to the High Court that the police had not found any evidence under the newly constituted law, as was alleged by the husband of a Hindu woman, against a Muslim labourer Nadeem.

Husband of a Hindu woman in Muzaffarnagar had accused Nadeem of trying to entrap his wife into a relationship and attempting to forcefully convert her.

"There is no evidence found that the accused Nadeem is having a illicit relation with Parul nor any evidence has come forward that he tried to change the religion of Parul," the counsel on behalf of the state government submitted.


Farman Naqvi, counsel for the accused told ET that the joint director of prosecution Awadhesh Pandey submitted in his affidavit that while no evidence was found against Nadeem, his brother who was also named in the FIR had been "wrongly implicated."

However the state also submitted that Nadem had threatened the husband and charges related to the offence have been sustained to the charge sheet while sections under the anti-conversion law have been dropped.

The complaint was filed against Nadeem and his brother in November but because his FIR, along with the constitutionality of the ordinance was challenged in the High Court, he was not taken into custody. Last month, the Allahabad High Court had stayed criminal proceedings against him and had observed that both the woman and the accused were "adults" with a fundamental right to privacy, who were also aware of the consequences of their "alleged relationship".

The HC will now further hear the matter in the case of Nadeem as well as other PILs filed challenging the law on January 15.