Ahmedabad: The Gujarat high court rejected the anticipatory bail application filed by a Maulvi from Surat district on Monday who fears arrest in connection with alleged forced conversion of 100 tribal people in Kakariya village in Amod town of Bharuch district. Charges under the Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act, the Atrocities Act, criminal conspiracy and causing disharmony have been invoked against the accused in the case.
Abdul Vahab Varyava (age 36), a resident of Palsana in Surat district, had approached the high court after the district court rejected his anticipatory bail. The Amod Police has filed an offence under Gujarat Freedom of Religion Bill section 4 and IPC section 120(b), 153 (B) (c), and 506(2).
The complaint was made by Praveen Vasava of Kakariya village in Amod taluka on 15th November. He alleged that he was converted to Islam in 2018 by several accused and was given a new name ‘Salman Vasant Patel’. The accused local persons Abdul Aziz Patel, Yusuf Jivan Patel, Ayub Barkat Patel, and Ibrahim Punabhai Patel among others allegedly forcibly converted 100 people of 35 tribal Hindu families.
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Court stressed that it appeared from the statements of the witnesses and investigation papers that Mahmood and other accused converted persons from one religion to another religion by providing cash amount and other articles of their requirements and specifically Mahmood, in addition to providing free education, provided certain articles as water cooler, freeze, chattai for namaj and cash amount to the converted persons. The Court further stated that it appeared that a WhatsApp group was also created wherein through video, speech, chatting, the accused were hurting feelings of one particular community.
The accused people lured the tribals with money and also built houses for them in some cases to convert them into Islam. The accused had also threatened them of dire consequences if they converted back to Hindu religion. The FIR was filed against 9 persons who allegedly mobilised funds for the religious conversion and lured tribals with money and built houses for them.
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