Allahabad High Court Denies Bail in Illegal Conversion Case

The Allahabad High Court denied bail to Shriniwas Rav Nayak, accused of illegal conversion under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021. The court emphasized that while the right to profess and practice religion is constitutionally protected, it does not extend to a collective right to proselytize others.

The Allahabad High Court has refused bail to Shriniwas Rav Nayak, accused of illegal conversion activities under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021. Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal, who passed the order, highlighted the constitutional rights allowing individuals to freely practice their religion, but noted that these rights do not extend to proselytizing or converting others.

The case against Nayak involves allegations of him urging villagers, primarily from the Scheduled Castes community, to convert from Hinduism to Christianity with promises of a better life. The accusations came after an informant escaped an alleged conversion gathering and reported the incident to the police.

The court observed that individual freedom of conscience and religion is vital but should not be misconstrued as a collective right to influence or convert others. Given the allegations and evidence, the court concluded that there was a prima facie case against Nayak, leading to the rejection of his bail plea.