The Sessions Court in Gautam Buddha Nagar recently denied bail to a South Korean woman and 3 other UP residents in a case registered under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance 2020, for allegedly trying to entice two Hindu women to convert to Christianity.
Additional Sessions Judge Pawan Pratap Singh passed this order while hearing a bail application filed by Minkaygali alias Anmol, Umesh Kumar, Sandhya and Seema.
The FIR was lodged at Surajpur Police station in Gautam Buddha Nagar under Section 3/5 of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Ordinance, 2020 & Section 295A of the Indian Penal Code. As per the prosecution case against the bail applicants, the matter is related to an attempt made by the accused to convert 2 women by way of misrepresentation, undue influence, allurement and fraudulent means in connivance with a foreign national.
The Government Advocate submitted before the Court the four accused were involved in “mass conversion” as defined under Section 2 (f) of the ordinance.
The Ordinance provides that whoever is found indulging in mass conversion (while contravening the provisions of law), shall be punished with imprisonment which shall not be less than three years but which may extend to 10 years and shall also be liable to fine which shall not be less than Rs 50,000.
Also Read: Delhi HC directs govt to file reply in plea against dharamshala land being used for 5-star hotel
Section 5 (1) of the ordinance provides a minimum punishment of 3 years and a maximum of 10 years for violating it. The Prosecution submitted that the South Korean national (Minkaygali) came to India for a period of 3 months on a tourist visa but she is now involved in the offence punishable under the newly promulgated Ordinance.
The prosecution said Anita was given Rs 7,000 and Muski was given Rs 3,000 and asked to remove the idols/murti/images of Hindu gods and goddesses from their respective homes and were offered Rs 10 lakh each if they convert.
The accused persons submitted before the Court (in their bail application and through their counsel) that they have been falsely implicated in the matter by the police in collusion with the complainant and that they did not offer the complainants any ration or money. They also contended before the Court that they had nothing to do with any conversion and that in fact, three of them are followers of Hindu religion.
Also Read: Restrain Future Retail from going ahead with Reliance deal, Amazon asks Delhi High Court
The Court denied them the benefit of bail and dismissed their bail application noting that “as per the facts and circumstances of the case, the crime is of a serious nature”.