‘Freedom of Religion Act not yet in force’: Pune cops withdraw sections in cases

Pune Police withdrew provisions of the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act from two cases after finding the law will come into force only on August 26

Pune Police have withdrawn sections of the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act invoked in two cases after realising that the legislation is not yet in force, commissioner Amitesh Kumar said on Tuesday. The Act, which criminalises religious conversion through coercion or fraud, is scheduled to come into force on August 26, 2026, according to a government notification.

Pune Police withdrew sections of the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act from two cases after realising the law is not yet in force (PTI/Representational image)

Police realise law not yet in force

Police had initially invoked the Act in a case registered at Fursungi police station on August 5, in which a 22-year-old man is accused of forcing his minor wife to convert to his religion.

The Act was also invoked in a separate case registered at Khadak police station against a UK-based Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholder accused of attempting to induce people to embrace a religion through faith-based gatherings.

Act set to come into force on August 26

Kumar confirmed that the provisions had been withdrawn from both cases.

“We have withdrawn the sections of the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act. However, the sections of other Acts will remain and the cases will be probed,” Kumar said.

He said the confusion arose because the notification communicating the President’s assent to the legislation did not specify when it would come into force.

“When the notification informing about the presidential assent to the Act came, it was not specified from which date it would come into force. While registering the offences, the officials assumed that it was already in force,” Kumar said.

The remaining provisions invoked in the two cases will continue to apply and the investigations will proceed, police said.