On Wednesday, a special court of the National Investigation Agency and Anti-Terrorism Squad in Lucknow sentenced Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui and eleven others to life imprisonment. The case, which involves allegations of illicit religious conversions dating back to 2021, was adjudicated by Judge Vivekanand Sharan Tripathi. The accused were found guilty under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including charges of conspiracy against the state.
The principal charge resulting in life imprisonment was conspiracy to commit an offense against the state. The convicted individuals include Maulana Umar Gautam, Arshan Mustafa, Abdul Mannan, Adam, Mohd Atif, Mufti Qazi Jahangir Qasmi, Kaushar Alam, Faraz Babullah Shah, Irfan Sheikh, Salahuddin Zainuddin Sheikh, Dheeraj Govind, Rahul Bola, Sarfaraz Ali Jafari, Abdullah Umar, and Mohd Kaleem Siddiqui. Additionally, Maulana Umar Gautam and Abdullah Umar received an extra five years of “rigorous imprisonment” and were also fined.
The court also sentenced 16 other individuals to ten years in prison, including three years of rigorous imprisonment, under the Uttar Pradesh Unlawful Religious Conversion Prohibition Act, 2021, and imposed fines on each.
The sentencing of Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui and Maulana Umar Gautam has garnered significant attention, given their prominence as respected religious figures. Both were arrested in 2021 during a broader crackdown on alleged illegal religious conversions in Uttar Pradesh. Muslim organisations nationwide have condemned the arrests, asserting that they form part of a broader campaign against Islamic scholars and institutions engaged in religious outreach.
The Unlawful Religious Conversion Prohibition Act of 2021 in Uttar Pradesh, which criminalises conversions through coercion, fraud, or inducement, is seen as disproportionately impacting the Muslim community. Many Muslim groups in India anticipate that the cases will be appealed in higher courts, arguing that the charges are politically motivated.
The sentences have ignited widespread debate, particularly within Muslim communities, regarding the state’s actions against religious conversions. While Indian authorities claim to be curbing forced conversions, critics argue that the law is being exploited to target minority religious leaders. Recent anti-conversion laws in various Indian states, especially under the current right-wing BJP government, have raised concerns about potential abuses and further erosion of religious minority rights.
It appears that in India, freedom of religious choice is severely constrained. Christian conversion also seems to be met with punitive measures, as highlighted by a recent video circulating on social media.
