Karnataka books first case under anti-conversion law

Bengaluru: Karnataka police have registered the first case under the new anti-conversion law in the state.
“We have registered a case under the new law. The case pertains to religious conversion on the promise of marriage,” DCP (North) Vinayak Patil told a section of media here on Friday.
The case was filed with Yeshwantpur police against one Syed Mueen who runs a chicken stall by Gyantidevi, mother of Khushboo, whom she suspected was being wooed by the accused.
The police have booked Mueen under section 5 of the Karnataka Protection of Freedom of Religions Act, which was notified on September 30.
Section 5 states that forced conversion is punishable by imprisonment for three to five years and a fine of Rs 25,000.
The accused is a resident of BK Nagar.
Earlier Gyantidevi, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, had lodged a complaint with the police after Khushboo went missing on October 5.
But she filed a fresh case against Mueen for allegedly forcibly coverting Khushboo to Islam on October 13 after her daughter returned home on October 8.
Taking cognisance of the fresh complaint, the police invoked Section 5 of the new law.
The new law states that any person who desires to change his or her religion is required to give a declaration in Form-1 at least 30 days in advance to the district magistrate or the additional district magistrate.
The person who performs the conversion ceremony must submit Form-II at least 30 days in advance.
The law also states that the district magistrate has to call for objections, if any, to the proposed religious conversion.
In case of objections received within 30 days, he shall have an inquiry conducted by officials of the Revenue or Social Welfare Department. This enquiry shall establish the genuine intention, purpose and cause of the proposed conversion.
If the enquiry makes out a case under this act, the district magistrate should ask the police to initiate criminal action.
Mueen is at present in judicial custody.
UNI