Criminal Justice

FIR under “love jihad” ordinance: UP police finds no evidence against Nadeem; charge dropped

The Leaflet

The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday told the Allahabad High Court that the police had found no evidence against one Nadeem for allegedly trying to marry a woman from Muzaffarnagar with the intention of converting her to his religion.

The affidavit filed by UP Government to this effect went on to state that during the probe no evidence was found that Nadeem was having 'any illicit' relation with the woman, Parul.

The affidavit also referred to a statement made by Parul to the police that she only knew Nadeem but was not in a relationship with him.

Extract from UP Government's Affidavit.

The Police, however, filed a charge-sheet against Nadeem for criminal intimidation as during the investigation it was found that he had called the complainant, Akshay Kumar, who is Parul's husband, and threatened to kill him.

Kumar lodged an FIR last year alleging that the accused Nadeem was having illicit relations with his wife and was forcing her to change her religion. He alleged the co-accused Salman was providing help to Nadeem.

The High Court on December 18 directed no coercive action against Nadeem.

A division bench of Justices Pankaj Naqvi and Vivek Agarwal said there was no material on record that any force or coercive process was being adopted by petitioner Nadeem to convert the wife of the informant.

Yesterday the High Court extended the interim protection to Nadeem and listed the matter on January 15.

Nadeem had approached the Court challenging the FIR under the "Love Jihad" ordinance and challenging the validity of the Ordinance.