In a significant breakthrough, the Uttar Pradesh police have arrested four more individuals, including a Delhi University (DU) graduate and an MBA holder, in connection with an inter-state illegal religious conversion racket. The arrests were made from Rajasthan and Delhi, bringing the total number of suspects held in the case to 18, according to police officials.
Details of the Arrests
Agra Commissioner of Police Deepak Kumar informed the Times of India that the arrests were carried out under 'Operation Asmita', a initiative launched by the Chief Minister for the protection of women. The four accused have been identified as Jatin Kapoor alias Jasim, Mohammed Hasan, Talmeez ur Rahman, and Pravez Akhtar.
Profiles of the Accused
Jatin Kapoor, 32, is an MBA graduate and a resident of Delhi. He works as a freelance web designer and allegedly used his expertise in the digital space to lure young individuals for religious conversion. Mohammed Hasan, 59, hails from Rajasthan's Deeg district and was responsible for preparing marriage documents for girls involved in the racket. Talmeez ur Rahman, 47, runs a shoe and fruit business, and his location was traced to Kashmir. He was in contact with Abdul Rehman, the main accused in the conversion case. Pravez Akhtar, a DU graduate, operates a computer hardware shop in Delhi.
According to the police, Kapoor and Pravez were radicalized by the main accused to join the gang.
Previous Arrests and Ongoing Investigation
Commissioner Kumar added that 14 individuals were arrested earlier in connection with the case. After those arrests, some members went into hiding, but the police kept them under surveillance. As soon as their activities resurfaced, the police obtained non-bailable warrants from the court and arrested all four. So far, the police have rescued over a dozen girls from Rajasthan, Haryana, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. The source of funds for the conversion activities remains under investigation.
Origin of the Case
The case first came to light last year following the disappearance of two sisters, aged 33 and 18 years, from Agra. A First Information Report (FIR) was registered at the Sadar Bazaar police station under sections 87 (kidnapping) and 111 (organized crime) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021. One of the victims gave a statement before a magistrate that she was forcefully converted, the police said.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are working to uncover the full extent of the racket and bring all perpetrators to justice.
