Bail Plea of Accused Converting Poor Hindus to Christianity Rejected
Prayagraj : The Allahabad High Court has asserted that the Indian Constitution permits individuals to practice and propagate their religion but does not allow conversion of others. The court emphasized that conversion is a serious offense that should be dealt with strictly. Consequently, the court rejected the bail plea of an individual accused of converting Scheduled Caste people from Hinduism to Christianity.
The court stated that citizens have the freedom to practice, follow, and propagate their religion but are not permitted to convert others. This order was issued by Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal during the hearing of the bail application of Srinivas Rao Nayak from Andhra Pradesh.
An FIR was filed against Srinivas Rao Nayak and others at the Nichlaul police station in Maharajganj, accusing them of luring poor Hindus into converting to Christianity. The allegation is that the petitioner promised people that adopting Christianity would alleviate all their sorrows and bring happiness and progress into their lives.
It is noted that co-accused Vishwanath organized a program at his home on February 15, 2024, where a large number of villagers were invited, resulting in several people converting their religion. The petitioner claimed that he had no connection with the alleged conversions and that he was falsely implicated as he is a resident of Andhra Pradesh.
The Additional Government Advocate argued that the petitioner, being a resident of Andhra Pradesh, participated in the conversion program in Maharajganj and actively engaged in the unlawful activity of conversion, which is against the law. The court stated that the complainant was persuaded to convert, which prima facie is sufficient to deny bail. There was no reason to believe that the complainant falsely implicated the petitioner, as there was no enmity between them. Consequently, the court dismissed the bail application.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.