New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday granted interim protection from arrest to Uttar Pradesh’s Broadwell Christian Hospital Society chairperson Mathew Samuel in an alleged forceful religious conversion case.
A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice JB Pardiwala also issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government on the appeal filed by Samuel and others challenging an order of the Allahabad High Court which refused to quash the proceedings in the FIR filed against them by the state police.
“Issue notice on the Special Leave Petition as well as on the Interlocutory Application for directions. In the meanwhile, no coercive action shall be taken against the petitioners in connection with FIR Nos 224/2022, 54/2023, 55/2023, and 60/2023, registered at Police Station Kotwali, District Fatehpur, UP, ” the bench said.
Senior advocate CU Singh, appearing for the petitioners, sought a stay on further investigation with respect to the FIRs, alleging abuse of the criminal justice process.
Samuel and others were booked by Uttar Pradesh Police under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 as well as the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021, after receiving a series of complaints filed by right-wing groups alleging mass religious conversion.
With inputs from PTI