A reported property dispute led an Uttar Pradesh man to file an FIR invoking allegations of “love jihad” against a Muslim groom whose marriage was scheduled for Friday with the man’s brother’s daughter, even as the bride and her mother denied any element of coercion and asserted that the wedding had been arranged with the knowledge and consent of both families.
The case concerns Shahvez Rana, who was set to marry Akanksha Gautam, a Buddhist woman from Meerut, and an FIR was registered against him at the Ganga Nagar police station under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita relating to criminal intimidation along with sections of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, according to Maktoob media.
The complaint was lodged by the bride’s uncle, Premchand Gautam, who alleged that Rana had misrepresented his identity as “Sahil” on the wedding card circulated by the bride’s family, and further accused him of deception with the intention of grabbing property and manipulating his niece.
While the complainant expressed apprehensions regarding his niece’s safety, the bride categorically rejected the allegations and maintained that she was entering the marriage of her own free will, and she stated that she follows Buddhism and does not identify as Hindu, thereby dismissing the charge of “love jihad” as politically motivated.
She also alleged that her uncle had been eyeing the family’s property since her father’s death three years ago, and she contended that his objections were rooted in vested interests rather than concern.
Her mother, Lata Rani, clarified that “Sahil” was a nickname used within the family and printed on the bride’s side invitation, whereas the groom’s family had mentioned his name as Shahvez Rana on their card, and she asserted that both families were fully aware of the match. She further stated that the marriage was within the framework of the Indian Constitution and that she stood firmly by her daughter’s decision.
The controversy intensified after members of Hindu Suraksha Sangathan accompanied the complainant to the police station and publicly characterised the case as one of “love jihad,” and the organisation allegedly pressured the resort hosting the ceremony to cancel the event. Its president, Sachin Sirohi, reportedly declared opposition to the wedding irrespective of venue, even as the family indicated that they would approach the High Court if necessary.