New Delhi, October 17 (Udaipur Kiran): The Supreme Court on Thursday quashed the FIR filed against Dr. R.B. Lal, Vice Chancellor of Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences (SHUATS) — formerly Allahabad Agricultural University — and six others in a case related to the alleged mass conversion of 90 Hindus.
The bench headed by Justice J.B. Pardiwala passed the order, bringing an end to the criminal proceedings against the seven accused in the case.
Earlier, on March 1, 2024, the Supreme Court had granted regular bail to Dr. R.B. Lal and the co-accused. Prior to that, on December 19, 2023, the court had issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and put an interim stay on their arrest. Those protected by the interim order included Rekha Patel, Professor Ramakant Dubey, Vinod Bihar Lal, Professor Ranu Prasad, David Philip, and Sunil Kumar John.
The decision overturns the Allahabad High Court’s earlier order, which had refused to stay the FIR proceedings and directed the accused to surrender before December 20, 2023. The High Court had observed that the matter concerned the interests of a large section of society and that the investigating agency had presented prima facie evidence supporting allegations of conversion.
However, the Supreme Court, after considering the submissions and previous findings, ruled in favour of the petitioners, thereby quashing the FIR and putting the matter to rest.
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.
