Shahjahanpur (Uttar Pradesh), June 30
The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has registered another FIR against two Delhi-based clerics, who have been accused of forcibly converting scores of people to Islam.
The case involves the conversion of a Hindu girl in the Shahjahanpur district.
The 29-year-old girl had married a Muslim youth after converting to another religion.
She is in Delhi with her husband and ATS sleuths are trying to reach her, sources said.
Mohammed Umar Gautam, the founder of Islamic Dawah Centre (IDC), which has its office in Delhi's Batla House, in known to help people in converting to Islam.
Another cleric, Qazi Jahangir Alam, who worked with Gautam, is also under arrest.
The girl, in an interview to local media, has said, "I searched online for help when I wanted to get converted. And these people helped me with the conversion. They took my Aadhaar card and some other documents to get it registered."
When asked if her family agreed to the conversion, the girl said, "They were not happy. But I told them about my decision."
The girl has said that she changed her religion for better career prospects in Gulf countries.
"I work at IGI Airport and get just Rs 20,000. In Dubai, I am likely to get Rs 2 to 3 lakh a month. So, I converted to Islam," the girl is heard saying in the video, where her face is covered with a stole.
The girl left for Delhi on Friday and has not returned home since.
Her phone, and that of her husband, have been switched off since then.
The girl's uncle told reporters, "My niece left for Delhi and did not return. Now she has contacted her father through a lawyer who has assured him that she will return soon. If she does not return, we will lodge a police complaint."
An official in ATS, who is investigating the conversion case, said, "An FIR was registered against Mohammed Umar Gautam and Jahangir Alam after finding their involvement in this conversion. We are searching for the girl as she is missing and even her father is not aware of her location. The claims made by the girl earlier did not seem to be correct. The role of her husband is also suspicious and we are investigating his role as well."
The clerics have been booked under sections 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race etc), 153-B (imputations assertions prejudicial to national integration), 295-A (deliberate or malicious act intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion), 511 (attempting to commit offences punishable with imprisonment for life or another imprisonment) of IPC.
While Shahjahanpur Senior Superintendent of Police S. Anand said, "We are keeping an eye on this case and an FIR will be registered once the girl's father gives a complaint in writing."
ians
