The Allahabad High Court has pulled up the Prayagraj administration for ordering a fresh police inquiry into the conversion of a Muslim assistant professor to Hinduism, following a criminal complaint filed by his Hindu father-in-law who opposed his daughter's marriage to him. Two earlier inquiries conducted in 2022 and 2023 had already determined that the conversion was voluntary.
Court's Intervention
A division bench comprising Justice Ajit Kumar and Justice Indrajeet Shukla placed in abeyance an August 2024 order by the Prayagraj Additional District Magistrate (Administration) that refused to confirm the conversion of Anil Pandit, formerly known as Mohammad Ahashan, under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021. The High Court directed the ADM to pass a fresh order within three weeks, emphasizing that the matter required a pragmatic view. The next hearing is scheduled for May 27.
Background of the Case
Pandit, who serves as a faculty member at an institute under Allahabad University, submitted a declaration on January 12, 2022, expressing his intention to convert to Hinduism. Subsequently, a priest informed the district magistrate about the conversion ceremony, which was conducted at an Arya Samaj temple on March 14, 2022.
Disputed Inquiry
In August 2024, the ADM ordered another inquiry after the woman's father lodged a complaint against Pandit over the marriage. Relying on a July police report that referenced an FIR and chargesheet, the ADM rejected the conversion plea, arguing that it was undertaken solely to facilitate the marriage. The ADM also cited a transfer of Rs 1 lakh between the couple in April 2021 as evidence of inducement.
About the Author: Rajesh Kumar Pandey is a legal journalist based in Prayagraj. He has been covering news from the Allahabad High Court for The Times of India for over a decade, reporting on several landmark judgments and visits by dignitaries including the Prime Minister and Chief Justices of India.
