E-Paper
HC denies bail plea of SHUATS V-C in ‘religious conversion’ case
Rejecting the anticipatory bail application of the V-C and registrar of SHUATS, Justice Manju Rani Chauhan said that the applicants cannot claim parity with other persons, who have been released on anticipatory bail.
PRAYAGRAJ The Allahabad High Court has rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Dr Rajendra Bihari Lal, the vice-chancellor of the Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences (SHUATS), and Vinod Bihari Lal, the institute’s director, in an alleged case of mass religious conversion.
The HC bench observed that the accused are influential and “their intent behind charitable works appears to be dubious, affecting the interest of a marginal section of society.” Rejecting the anticipatory bail application of the V-C and registrar of SHUATS, Justice Manju Rani Chauhan said that the applicants cannot claim parity with other persons, who have been released on anticipatory bail.
The bench noted that material evidence regarding mass conversion has been collected by the investigating agency. This is a case concerning a serious offence and cannot be taken lightly as it affects society at large, said the HC bench. The court added that the sentiments of the public at large are involved and in a secular country like India, peace and harmony cannot be compromised.
The HC said that investigating officers are collecting evidence regarding funding and the applicants are required to cooperate with the investigation. In such cases, the investigation must proceed without the applicants being under the protection of this court through the investigating officer (IO) who is well-versed with the law and is a part of law enforcement machinery.
The court also noted that earlier during the pendency of the plea, the applicants were granted interim protection with a condition to appear before the IO, however, the applicants failed to obey the court’s directions, and their non-appearance, the court added, shows that they do not have any intention to cooperate with the investigation.
An FIR in this case was lodged on April 15, 2022. It was based on the complaint filed by one Himanshu Dixit. The complainant alleged that about 90 people from the Hindu community assembled at the Evangelical Church of India, Hariharganj, Fatehpur. They allegedly lured people to renounce Christianity and become Hindu. In return, they proposed easy money. On receiving this information, government officers reached the place and interrogated pastor Vijay Massiah, who allegedly disclosed that the process for conversion was going on for the last 34 days and that this process shall be completed within 40 days.
The pastor further said that the accused have been trying to convert even the patients admitted to the Mission Hospital and the employees play an active role in the same. Subsequently, the government officers named 35 persons in an FIR. Besides, 20 unknown persons were also booked in the case. The FIR was registered under several sections of IPC and also under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act at Kotwali Fatehpur.
