Refuses To Quash FIR Against VC, Others, In Rape-conversion Row
Lucknow: Observing that “no true religion on the earth would approve of malpractices by the priest or godmen”, the Allahabad high court refused to quash an FIR lodged against the vice-chancellor and other higher officials of the Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture Technology and Science (SHUATS), who were accused of persuading a woman to adopt Christianity by offering her a job and other allurement and also sexually exploiting her.
Disposing of a writ petition filed by SHUATS VC, Rajendra Bihari Lal, director Vinod Bihari Lal, and 4 others, a division bench comprising Justice Rahul Chaturvedi and Justice Mohd Azhar Husain Idrisi on Monday observed: “No god or true church or temple or mosque would approve such type of malpractices. If someone on his own has chosen to get him converted to a different religion is totally another aspect of the issue. In the instant case, prevailing upon a tender mind of a young girl providing gifts, clothing and other physical amenities and then asking her to get baptised is an unpardonable sin.”
The court order of December 11 was made available later in the week.
The survivor stated in her complaint to the Bewar police station in Hamirpur district that she was regularly subjected to sexual exploitation by the accused-petitioners, including SHUATS VC and, that, the accused put pressure on her to bring other women for conversion and other illegal works.
Based on her complaint, the Bewar police registered an FIR on November 4, under Section 376D (gang rape) and other sections of IPC and also under the UP Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021, and Immoral Traffic Prevention Act, 1956.
While refusing to quash the FIR, the high court said the allegations levelled in the FIR are extremely serious and horrifying.
The court directed the Hamirpur superintendent of police (SP) to personally supervise the investigation and submit a report in 90 days before the magistrate concerned.
Emphasising that the petitioners are accused of a heinous offence, the court on December 11 directed that the accused should surrender before the court on or before December 20, 2023, and apply for regular bail.
