On March 2nd, the Hathgaon Police in Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh, arrested three individuals—Taufiq, Imtiaz, and Maulvi Azam Khan—on charges of forcibly converting a Hindu man to Islam. OpIndia obtained access to the FIR filed in the case.
FIR Details
The FIR was registered based on a complaint filed by Ramprasad, the father of the victim, identified as Rammanohar. The case has been lodged under Sections 127(2), 352, and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 3 and 5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act.
According to the complaint, Rammanohar had been working at Haridwar Mandi for the past four to five years, during which he came into contact with Taufiq. Taufiq allegedly lured him with the promise of marrying him to his sister, Shabnam, and facilitated their communication via mobile phone.
In recent days, Ramprasad had been unable to reach his son and had no information about his whereabouts. On February 27, around 4 PM, he received information that Rammanohar was being forcibly held in Mirpur Kurusti by Taufiq, his father Hakim Shah, their relative Imtiaz, and Maulvi Azam Khan. They allegedly pressured him to convert to Islam through threats and intimidation. Additionally, Ramprasad accused them of forcibly conducting his son's marriage with Shabnam according to Muslim rituals.
When Ramprasad arrived at the location, he discovered that the accused had already converted his son to Islam, renamed him Munawwar, and forcibly married him to Shabnam. Upon confronting them, they allegedly hurled insults and issued death threats, compelling him to escape. He said in his complaint, “They blatantly declared that they had converted my son from Hinduism to Islam and challenged me to take any action if I wished.”
Live-in Relationship Agreement Between Rammanohar and Shabnam
Taufiq allegedly presented a notary-stamped agreement dated May 8, 2024, stating that Rammanohar and Shabnam were in a live-in relationship. When questioned by the police, they reportedly confirmed their desire to live together. Shabnam informed the police that their communication began over the phone about a year ago, later extending to Instagram and video calls. Approximately three months ago, they traveled to Surat and then to Rajkot, where they underwent a Nikah (Islamic wedding). She also claimed that they had been residing at her sister’s house for the past 15 days.
Victim’s Mother Urges Conversion to Hinduism for Temple Marriage
Rammanohar’s family has alleged that Taufiq and others influenced their son. According to reports, his mother was open to accepting Shabnam as their daughter-in-law, provided she converted to Hinduism and married in a temple.
Station in-charge Abhilash Tiwari stated that an FIR has been filed against four individuals, and the investigation is ongoing.
Comments