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Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), UP, Lucknow, has alleged that evidences were there proving that the racket which was primarily run by Umar Gautam had an aim of establishing a ‘Shariyat’ led government instead of a constitutionally established one by overturning the religious population balance of India for which series of mass conversions were being done under an organic mechanism.
The Supreme Court has allowed Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui to attend a funeral in Uttar Pradesh today. He was barred from leaving Delhi NCR as one of the bail conditions imposed on him by Allahabad High Court in April 2023.
Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui, was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad in September 2021 for allegedly running an illegal mass religious conversion racket in Uttar Pradesh in collusion with Mohammad Umar Gautam and others.
Today, a bench led by Justice Aniruddha Bose said that he will be allowed to attend the funeral but is directed to return back to Delhi after the funeral itself.
Siddiqui had moved the Supreme Court urgently for relaxation of his bail order which barred him from leaving the National capital region.
On August 22, the Supreme Court asked UP Government to apprise it of specific allegations against Siddiqui and had listed the case for September 5.
Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui was arrested on the allegations that he illegally converted the religion of over 1000 people across the state. Allegedly, he indulged into mass conversion of the people within the State of UP from Hindu religion to Islam by making publicity of Islam through a Youtube channel.
It has been also claimed by the prosecution that a huge fund had been generated by Siddique for executing such activities which is an offence within the scope of the U.P. Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021.
The case against Siddique and others was lodged under Sections 417, 120-B, 153-A, 153-B, 295-A, 298, 121-A, 123 I.P.C. and Section 3/5/8 of the U.P. Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021.
Two co accused persons namely Irfan Khan @ Irfan Shaikh and Dr. Faraz Shah whose bail was rejected under similar circumstances by the trial court have already been granted bail by the Supreme Court as well as by the High Court respectively.
In a press release, ATS stated: "Umar Gautam and his associates were funded by the UK based organization Al-falah Trust through hawala and other means, the details of which the above accused could not provide.”
As per ATS, under this conversion racket, poor, women, handicapped, especially deaf and mute were being forced to convert against their will by intimidating them and putting them under illegitimate pressure etc., in a malicious manner.
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