By Scroll Staff
A Muslim man was booked under Uttar Pradesh’s anti-conversion law in Meerut after his fiancée’s uncle filed a police complaint objecting to their interfaith wedding, The Times of India reported on Wednesday.
The wedding ceremony of Akanksha Gautam, who is a Buddhist, and Shahvez Rana was to be held on Friday.
Akanksha Gautam’s uncle, Premchand Gautam, filed a complaint at the city’s Ganga Nagar police station, saying that Rana’s name was mentioned as “Sahil” in the wedding card distributed by the woman’s family.
Some members of Hindutva organisations had accompanied him to the police station. They alleged that it was a case of “love jihad”, Dainik Bhaskar reported.
Love jihad is a Hindutva conspiracy theory that Muslim men trick Hindu women into romantic relationships with the aim of converting them to Islam. The Union home ministry has told Parliament that Indian law has no provision defining such a term.
In his complaint to the police, Premchand Gautam said that Akanksha Gautam was “misled by Sahil”.
“He deceived her with the intention of grabbing property and conspired to marry her after manipulating and brainwashing her,” The Times of India quoted Premchand Gautam as having said in his complaint. “I fear for my niece’s safety.”
Meerut Superintendent of Police (Rural) Abhijeet Kumar told The Times of India that a first information report has been registered in the matter.
Rana has been booked under Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita sections pertaining to criminal intimidation, along with provisions of the Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act.
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