On 30th September, in a landmark judgment, one Mohammed Alim was convicted in a “love jihad” case by a Bareilly court for deceiving a woman into a relationship under the false pretence of marriage, subsequently coercing her into sexual relations, and subjecting her to violence and threats. Notably, Alim had introduced himself as “Anand” and appeared to be a Hindu.
The court observed that incidents like this contribute to attempts to create conditions similar to those in Pakistan and Bangladesh, where illegal religious conversions through coercion are rampant. OpIndia accessed the copy of the judgment. Mohammed Alim has been convicted under Sections 376(2)(n), 323, 504, and 506 of the Indian Penal Code.
Sabir, the father of Alim, was also convicted under Section 504 for insulting and threatening the victim. The court strongly criticised such actions and drew attention to the issue of “Love Jihad.” Interestingly, left-liberals, so-called fact-checkers, activists, and Islamists often claim that the notion of “Love Jihad” is a figment of the imagination of Hindu organisations and that no such incidents occur in India. However, the judgment in this case proved that incidents of “Love Jihad” are very much real and need immediate attention from law enforcement agencies and the judiciary.
Detailed background of the case
According to the complaint filed by the victim, she was a student at a computer coaching centre in Bareilly. At the centre, she became acquainted with a man who introduced himself as Anand. He appeared to be a Hindu and wore a sacred thread (Kalawa) on his wrist. The accused would accompany her to and from work. As time passed, a romantic relationship developed between them.
Later, Alim proposed marriage to her, and on 13th March 2022, he took the victim to the Radha Krishna Temple in Bareilly. At the temple, he performed a so-called marriage ritual by applying sindoor (vermilion) to her hairline. He convinced her that they were married according to Hindu customs. However, the court noted that no priest was present at the time when that make-believe wedding took place, and no rituals were performed that were required to make the wedding legal.
After the ritual, Alim took the victim to a friend’s room near Rohilkhand University. In the room, he coerced her into sexual relations. He filmed the sexual act and took indecent photographs of her. He used the explicit material he recorded that day to blackmail her into further sexual relations, often at Rajrani Hotel in Bareilly.
Whenever the victim resisted, he would threaten to make the photos and videos public. When the victim became pregnant, he coerced her into undergoing an abortion. On 5th May 2023, he forced her to take an abortion pill, and on 11th May, with the assistance of his family, he took her to a nursing home in Hafizganj where the victim underwent an abortion.
The ordeal of the victim worsened when she visited his house in Jadaupur, where she discovered that his real name was Mohammed Alim and that he was not Hindu, as he had claimed. Alim’s family, including his father Sabir, pressured the victim to convert to Islam. They physically assaulted her and threatened to kill her if she pursued legal action against Alim. They also insisted that she abort the child before considering marriage. Fearing for her life, the victim left the house and eventually filed a complaint against Alim and his family on 27th May 2023.
As per the court documents, the victim became pregnant in March 2023. She informed Alim about this in April and asked him to take her home, but he refused, saying, “I won’t take you home, get rid of the baby.” In May, he came to Devernia Station and forcibly tried to make her take unwanted pills. When she refused, he started beating her at the station and then left. She followed him.
She reached Jadaupur, and when she arrived at his house, his mother asked, “Who are you?” She asked, “Where is your son Anand?” His mother replied, “There is no such person by that name.” She then showed her the photo and asked again, and his mother revealed his name as Alim. She was shocked upon hearing this; he had claimed to be Hindu but turned out to be Muslim. She told everything to his mother, and his mother said, “Convert your religion.”
Witness testimonies provided crucial evidence
The prosecution’s case was supported by testimony from key witnesses. The hotel manager from Rajrani Hotel testified that the victim appeared distressed whenever she arrived at the hotel with Alim. He also revealed that the victim always stood away from the register, as Alim used to make the entries required to book the room. Interestingly, he used his real identity in the hotel register. This supported the victim’s allegations that she was unaware of Alim’s true identity until much later. Other witnesses, including the investigating officers, corroborated the victim’s timeline of events, strengthening the case against Alim.
Court’s observations: Love Jihad and societal implications
In its detailed judgment, the court categorically labelled the case as an example of “Love Jihad.” The court observed that Alim posed as a Hindu to lure the victim into a relationship under false pretences. The court further observed that Alim’s actions, using deceit to coerce the victim into sexual relations and later pressuring her to convert to Islam, were part of a larger and disturbing trend. The judge remarked, “This is not just a matter of personal deceit; it is an orchestrated attempt to manipulate and exploit vulnerable individuals in the name of religion.”
The court further compared this incident to the situation in Pakistan and Bangladesh, where cases of forced religious conversions are rampant. The judge warned that such incidents need to be curtailed; otherwise, it could lead to a breakdown of the secular fabric of Indian society. The court said, “By allowing such practices to continue unchecked, we risk creating conditions in India similar to those in Pakistan and Bangladesh, where religious freedom is curtailed, and women are systematically targeted for conversion.”
The judgment also criticised the failure to invoke the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act, 2021, in the case. The court noted, “Despite clear evidence of coercion and deceit with the intent of religious conversion, no action was taken under the specific provisions of the law designed to prevent such conversions. This oversight must be corrected in future cases.”
The court also raised concerns about potential foreign funding behind such activities. The court noted that the systematic targeting of vulnerable women for religious conversion through deceit may not be an isolated phenomenon. The judge remarked, “The possibility of foreign funding in such cases cannot be ruled out, as these actions appear to be part of a larger conspiracy aimed at destabilising the social fabric of the country.”
The court made stern observations asserting that incidents like these represent more than individual wrongdoings and pose a serious threat to harmony and secularism. The court said, “The systematic targeting of women under the guise of love to fulfil larger demographic and religious goals is not only a crime against the individual but against the nation’s unity.”
Conclusion: Legal and societal ramifications
While left-liberal groups, the media, Islamists, and so-called fact-checkers often deny the existence of Love Jihad, the Bareilly court’s verdict strongly affirms the opposite. The ruling highlights the fact that deceptive practices, such as those employed by Alim, have far-reaching consequences for the victim and society at large. The court’s observations on the growing threat of illegal religious conversions through Love Jihad need immediate attention from governments, law enforcement agencies, and the judiciary.
