UP Court grants bail to Maulana Umar Gautam in alleged religious conversion racket case

A local court in Lucknow this week granted bail to Maulana Umar Gautam in an alleged forced religious conversion case..The Court was dealing with a case where a first information report (FIR) was filed against Maulana Umar Gautam under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021 for allegedly pressuring a school teacher to convert from her religion.While granting bail to Gautam, Additional Sessions Judge (IV) at Fatehpur Rajendra Singh noted that the alleged offence was committed in early 2020, while the anti-conversion law under which Gautam has been booked came into force from November 27, 2020. The Court granted bail to Gautam subject to a personal bond of ₹1 lakh and two sureties of the same amount..The applicant/accused was charged under Section 420, Section 120-B, Section 153-A, Section 153-B, Section 295-A and Sections 3 and 5 Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of religious Act..As per the facts of the case, Gautam had taught from May 1, 2019 to March 19, 2021 in the Noorul Huda English Medium School, whose manager is Maulana Umar Sharif Mahajri.It was alleged that in this school, Islamic education is given to Hindu children, that namaz is taught and when some children refuse, they are either lured or intimidated.The prosecution had alleged that Gautam forced Hindu teachers to adopt Islam by insulting Hindu deities, using hateful words, and lured to send them abroad with good facilities and a lot of money. When the complainant refused to change her religion, she was removed from services and later received death threats, it was claimed.Pursuant to the filing of the complaint, Gautam was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Police's anti-terror squad (ATS) on charges of mass conversion of people into Islam through inducements such as marriage, job and money, and mental pressure..Counsel for Gautam, Advocate Zia Ul Qayuim Jilani, submitted that his clint was removed on administrative grounds and for some reasons better known to the management of the institution. Due to an ongoing litigation between the complainant and the management of the school, for the purpose of taking revenge, the instant FIR was lodged solely with the objective and intention to harass and humiliate Gautam, he argued..[Read order]