A Muslim youth arrested under the anti-conversion law in Bijnor is yet to get bail even after 20 days in jail.
Shakib was arrested on December 15 and jailed for allegedly trying to forcibly convert a 16-year-old Hindu girl, a charge denied at the time by both the girl and her mother.
However, her father alleged that it is a case of forcible conversion.
Sanjay Kumar, Superintendent of Police, Bijnor (Rural) said the accused Saqib kidnapped a girl and forced her to convert her religion.
“A girl from Dhampur was missing for past few days. However, the police found both girl and the accused. After interrogation, the man was arrested for abducting and forcing a girl to convert her religion,” Kumar had said.
“Saqib hid his real identity and introduced himself as Sonu to the girl. He kidnapped her and tried to force her to convert the religion. A case filed under ordinance against unlawful religious conversions and the SC/ST Act,” he added.
As per the new anti-conversion law in UP, the accused may get a jail term between one to five years, with Rs 15,000 penalty, if convicted for carrying out forceful conversions for marriage.
At village, not many were willing to discuss the case on camera or off it except Vinod Saini, the pradhan or chief of the girl’s village who continues to claim the police cooked up the unlawful conversion charge.
“We filed a chargesheet only after statements and a medical examination and a court statement. Even today the girl’s father and family members are sticking to their statements. Some people are trying to entice the family to change their statements and we are keeping a watch on such people and we will act against them. We do not act based on any statements by a pradhan or politician. The action is based on evidence and court statements,” the Bijnor police chief said.
