Uttar Pradesh Court Convicts Islamic Preachers in Conversion Case

A special Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) court in Uttar Pradesh convicted 16 individuals, including Islamic preacher Maulana Kalim Siddiqui and Islamic Dawah Centre founder Mohammed Umar Gautam, in a 2021 illegal religious conversion case. Special Judge Vivekanand Sharan Tripathi ordered all convicts to jail and scheduled September 11 for sentencing arguments. A detailed order is expected on Wednesday.

The accused were involved in converting hearing-impaired students and impoverished individuals to Islam in Uttar Pradesh, allegedly with funding from Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI, officials stated. Gautam, who resided in Delhi's Batla House area, had converted to Islam from Hinduism. During interrogation, he claimed to have converted at least 1,000 people by offering marriage, money, and jobs, according to Director General of Police Prashant Kumar.

Illegal Conversion Racket

Special Public Prosecutor M K Singh revealed that the accused operated a nationwide illegal conversion racket, spreading religious frenzy and hatred as part of a conspiracy with international links. The outfit they ran was named Islamic Dawah Centre and received funds from Pakistan's ISI and other foreign agencies, Kumar informed reporters.

Among those convicted were Prakash Rameshwar Kavade alias Adam, Kaushar Alam, Bhupriya Bandho alias Arsalan Mustafa, Dr. Faraz Babullah Shah, Mufti Qazi Jahangir Alam Qasmi, and Irfan Sheikh alias Irfan Khan. Gautam and Qasmi were arrested from Jamia Nagar on June 20, 2021, according to UP police.

Charges and Arrests

The ATS arrested the accused from various parts of the country after lodging an FIR in Lucknow and launching an investigation into alleged illegal religious conversion and foreign funding. The charges included IPC sections 417 (cheating), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 121A (conspiracy to commit offense against the State), 123 (concealing with intent to facilitate design to wage war), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups), 153B (imputations with intent to promote hatred), 295A (deliberate acts intended to offend religious feelings), and 298 (uttering words with intent to wound religious feelings). They were also booked under the UP Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021.

Other convicts included Rahul Bhola alias Rahul Ahmed, Mannu Yadav alias Abdul Mannan, Salahuddin Zainuddin Sheikh, Abdullah Umar, Mohd. Salim, Kunal Ashok Chaudhary, Dheeraj Govind Rao Jagtap, and Sarfaraz Ali Jafri. The arrests followed the registration of an FIR at Lucknow's ATS police station.

Singh further explained that the accused had international connections and received money from abroad through hawala transactions. They targeted economically weak women and disabled individuals on a large scale to alter the population balance by luring them or applying undue pressure.

Additionally, they instilled fear in people of a particular religion by referencing concepts like the fire of hell after death. Their ultimate goal was to establish a Sharia-based government system in the country, Singh added.

The court's decision marks a significant development in addressing illegal religious conversions and highlights the extensive network involved in such activities. The upcoming sentencing will determine the penalties for those convicted in this case.