A Nashik court on Friday granted bail to Nida Khan, an accused in a forced conversion case, drawing a unique analogy from Hindu mythology. The court referenced the story of Lord Krishna's birth to argue that religion is determined by birth and cannot be forcibly changed.
Court's Reasoning and Bail Conditions
Additional Sessions Judge S.S. Shinde granted bail to Nida Khan, who was arrested in connection with allegations of forcing a woman to convert to Islam. The court observed that just as Lord Krishna was born in a prison cell but remained divine, a person's religion is inherent from birth and cannot be altered through coercion.
The judge set a bail bond of Rs 25,000 with one surety. Khan was also directed to not leave the country without court permission and to cooperate with the investigation.
Background of the Case
The case pertains to an alleged conspiracy to convert a Hindu woman to Islam through force or inducement. The complainant, a woman from Nashik, claimed that Nida Khan and others pressured her to convert and marry a Muslim man. The police registered a case under the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013, and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.
According to the prosecution, the accused had been trying to convert the woman since 2024. The court noted that the investigation was almost complete and that Khan had no prior criminal record.
Legal Experts Weigh In
Legal experts described the court's mythological reference as unusual but not unprecedented. “Courts sometimes use cultural analogies to drive home a point. Here, the judge emphasized that faith is a matter of personal choice, not force,” said a local lawyer who declined to be named.
The bail order is seen as a significant development in the case, which has drawn attention to forced conversion allegations in Maharashtra.
