Judge Criticizes Police for Acting Under Pressure, Calls for Legal Action Against Complainant and Officials Involved
A court in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, has acquitted two men falsely accused of religious conversion and ordered legal action against the police officers involved. The case, which involved accusations of forced conversions to Christianity, was filed under the UP Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021. The court found the charges baseless and fabricated.
One of the accused, Abhishek Gupta, a former employee of Rohilkhand Medical College, lost his job and faced severe financial and social consequences. The second accused, Kundan Lal, wasn’t even present at the alleged crime scene but was still arrested based on the statements made by Gupta.
Judge Gyanendra Tripathi, who presided over the case, expressed concern over the misuse of the legal system, stating that it was alarming for a civilised society that anyone could initiate criminal proceedings to serve personal agendas. The court criticised the police for acting under pressure from the complainant, Himanshu Patel, who sought publicity.
The court found that the police, in their eagerness to give legitimacy to a fabricated story, wasted time and resources of both the police department and the judiciary. The judge directed the Senior Superintendent of Police in Bareilly to take legal action against the complainant, Patel, key witnesses, and several police officers involved in the case, including the investigating officer and the officer who approved the chargesheet.
The case originated from a complaint by Himanshu Patel, district president of the Hindu Jagran Manch, in May 2022. He alleged that Gupta, along with a group, was involved in a forced conversion program in Bichpuri village. However, the court found that no witnesses or victims of the alleged forced conversions were ever produced by the police.
In its ruling, the court emphasised the irreparable damage caused to the accused by the collective efforts of the complainant, witnesses, and police officials, and highlighted the need for accountability in such cases.
(With inputs from agency)
Share your news, articles, deals, columns, or press releases with us! Click the link to submit and join our platform today.
