Since the Uttar Pradesh government approved the ordinance against forced religious conversions in November last year, the first charge sheet has been filed under the law by the state police in Bijnor in a case of Grooming Jihad. According to Indian Express, police have filed a chargesheet in a matter where a Dalit woman was abducted by a carpenter identified as Afzal. The charge sheet was filed before judicial magistrate earlier this week.
According to the report, the Dalit woman had shifted to Chandigarh a few years ago along with her parents. Afzal used to live near her house. In December last year, the woman accompanied by her parents had come to Bijnor to attend a wedding. She disappeared on December 6 while visiting a market near her home. Her father lodged an FIR against Afzal two days after her disappearance as the victim was last seen with him. A case was filed under the provisions of abduction and the new anti-conversion law. Police traced the woman in the district on December 9.
Afzal sexually assaulted and tried to convert her to Islam
In her statement recorded before the magistrate, the woman said that Afzal concealed his real identity and introduced himself as Sonu. She said that he used to visit her house and became friends with her. Narrating her ordeal, she said that Afzal tried to convert her and sexually assaulted her. The woman said that she came to know about the real identity of the accused only after she went with him. The accused allegedly promised to marry her after converting her.
Investigating Officer Kuldeep Kumar Gupta said that the charge sheet has been filed under section 366 of the Indian Penal Code, the relevant provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020 and the SC-ST Act. On the basis of the woman’s statement before the magistrate, charges of rape have also been invoked. Afzal was arrested by police on December 10 and was produced before the court from where he was sent to judicial custody.
First case was filed under the anti-conversion law a day after it was passed
A day after the anti-conversion was passed by Yogi government last year, the first case was lodged under the law against one Uwais Ahmed for allegedly trying to forcibly convert a Hindu girl to Islam. The accused had allegedly lured the victim and had persuaded her to convert. He even threatened to kill the victim and her family is she did not comply with his demands.
