Bareilly court acquits 2 men accused of conversion, directs action against probing police officers

Two men accused of unlawful religious conversion were acquitted by a local court which has directed the district police chief to take action against the police personnel who investigated and filed charge sheet in the matter.

The court gave its order on July 30 this year.

“The court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Gyanendra Tripathi acquitted one Abhishek Gupta and Kundan Lal in a case of Prevention of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act,” Assistant District Government Counsel Sunil Pandey said on Friday.

He said in May 2022, the Bithri Chainpur police, acting on the complaint of one Himanshu Patel, a member of a right wing Hindu group, arrested Gupta, a technician at Rohilkhand Medical College, and Lal. According to the complaint, the duo were trying to convert around 40 people to Christianity.

The police filed a charge sheet in the case on December 19, 2022.

However, after hearing both the sides, the court acquitted Gupta and Lal in the absence of adequate concrete proof to establish that the duo were involved in unlawful religious conversion.

“Taking a tough stance in the case, the court directed the Senior Superintendent of Police, Bareilly to take action against the investigating officer and circle officer who investigated and filed a charge sheet in the case,” said Imran Raza, the advocate of Gupta.

“The court has also asked Gupta and Lal to approach the court for action against Patel,” he added.