Uttarakhand police registers first case under anti-conversion law against Saqib Saifi

New Delhi, Dec 14: The first case against using the anti-conversion law has been filed against one Saqib Saif in Uttarakhand.

The Uttarakhand assembly had passed a stricter Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill 2022 on November 29. The Nainital police registered a case against Saifi and four others under the new law.

A case was registered on the complaint by a Hindu woman who alleged that a man changed his identity and posed as a Hindu. He raped her and forced her to convert to Islam. The accused Saqib Saifi pretended to be Shiv Thakur, a resident of Bambagar and befriended the victim. After the two became close, the accused raped her and forced her to convert. Following this the victim approached the police.

Saifi along with his family members were allegedly tormeting the victim and had also threatened her with dire consequences. The accused was also trying to groom the victim's younger sister as as per the complaint. As per this report, the victim was set to marry another man on December 3. Saqib however called the family of the victim's fiancé and made derogatory remarks about her, following which the marriage was called off.

On the basis of the complaint the Nainital Police registered an FIR against Saifi and his family members Ghazala, Rahila, Saba, and Yunus for helping Saifi traumatise the woman.

A case has been filed under Section 3 of the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act, said Pankaj Bhat Nainital Senior Superintendent of Police. It can however be classified as a pressure to convert rather than a case of conversion. The accused are subject to harsh punishment under the new government order.

The accused have been charged under sections 323, 354/354D, 376, 504/506, and the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act 2018 said Arun Kumar Saini, SHP Ramnagar police station. However none of the accused have been arrested as yet.

After medical examination, the victim's statement will be recorded under section 164 following which further action will follow, Circle Officer Bhouwali, Baljit Singh Bhakuni, said. The accused wanted to convert the girl under the guise of marriage. The girl refused and was subject to physical abuse, he said.