Allahabad HC stays ₹25 lakh compensation order against UP govt in conversion case
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The Allahabad High Court has suspended a direction requiring the Uttar Pradesh government to pay compensation in a case involving two adult sisters who said they were confined by their father after converting to Islam.
A division bench of Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice Kshitij Shailendra stayed the ₹25 lakh compensation order against the state government pending further proceedings. However, it declined to halt the direction allowing the sisters to leave their father’s custody against their wishes.
On August 6, Justice Sandeep Jain had ordered the state government and the sisters’ father to jointly pay ₹25 lakh to Diya Bhatia, now known as Zoya Diya Bhatia, and Anshu Bhatia, who adopted the name Amina Anshu Bhatia. The single judge found that their prolonged confinement had violated their fundamental rights.
The state challenged the award, arguing it had not received sufficient opportunity to respond or present investigation materials before being held financially liable. It also raised concerns over the circumstances surrounding the sisters’ conversion.
The sisters had maintained that they embraced Islam voluntarily and denied coercion. The single judge had ruled that parental objections to their religious choices could not justify restricting their freedom.
Their counsel, Syed Kaif Hasan, said the compensation question remained open for further judicial consideration and indicated that the matter could be taken to the Supreme Court.