A special court of UP ATS has directed the investigating officers to invoke extra-serious sections of the Indian Penal Code against the eight accused arrested in the illegal conversion case. The Anti-Terrorism Squad of Uttar Pradesh appeared before the court and was allowed to add Sections 121A (conspiracy to wage war against the Government of India) and 123 (conceding with intent to wage war) against the accused in the FIR. The court has also summoned the accused for further hearing on September 14.
Earlier, the ATS team had approached the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Lucknow with an appeal to include the sections in the FIR. The ATS, in its application, said that during investigation they found that the group was not only involved in illegal conversions, but the accused also wanted to disturb the population balance and create rift between people of different religions.
The ATS also claimed that there was a conspiracy to challenge the unity, diversity and sovereignty of India. However, the CJM observed that the local court was not empowered to pass judgments relating to sections 121 and 123 of the IPC.
Thereafter the authorities moved the Special ATS Court with an appeal to include the consequential sections of the IPC. The accused Umar Gautam, Mufti Jehangir Qasmi, Irfan Sheikh, Salauddin Zainuddin Sheikh, Prasad Rameshwar Kavre alias Adam, Arslan alias Bhupriya Bando, Kausar Alam and Faraj Shah have also now been booked under sections 121A and 123 of IPC. Is.
The eight accused were already charged with sections 417, 120B, 153A, 153B, 295A, 298 and the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversions Act, 2021.
Uttar Pradesh passed the anti-conversion bill earlier this year. The Bill penalizes those who convert through marriage, deceit, coercion or abetment.
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