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Synopsis

A vacation bench of the Supreme Court of India today stayed the Allahabad High Court's order directing the Vice Chancellor and other officials of the Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture Technology and Science (SHUATS) to surrender before the court by December 20, 2023.

In said order, the High Court also refused to quash an FIR against the Vice Chancellor and other officials for allegedly coercing a woman into adopting Christianity by offering her employment and other inducements.

Today, a bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and KV Vishwanathan heard Senior Advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for the accused petitioners.

"There is a grave urgency, we have been directed to surrender by December 20, 2023. Court has also directed to file chargesheet..I have been directed to surrender before court as this is a heinous offence...my right of anticipatory bail is gone..", Dave told the vacation bench.

Court went on to stay the impugned order and directed thus, "Issue notice. There shall be a stay on the impugned judgment till January 5, 2024 or until further orders whichever is earlier..petitioner shall be protected from arrest in the interim..".

It has been further ordered that the SLP shall be listed before CJI DY Chandrachud upon re-opening of the court after winter vacations.

Notably, the High Court in its impugned order emphasized that no genuine religious entity would condone such malpractices. The bench, comprising Justice Rahul Chaturvedi and Justice Mohd. Azhar Husain Idrisi, stated that no authentic religious institution, whether it be a Church, Temple, or Mosque, would endorse such misconduct by priests or spiritual leaders.

"No God or true Church or Temple or Mosque would approve such type of malpractices. If someone on his own, have chosen to get him converted to different religion is totally another aspect of the issue. In the instant case prevailing upon a tender mind of a young girl providing gifts, clothing and other physical amenities and then asked her to get her baptised is an unpardonable sin," said the high court.

The FIR, filed in November 2023, alleged that the victim, a lower-middle-class woman, was lured into Christianity through gifts and clothing, with the accused, including the SHUATS VC, allegedly pressuring her to bring other women for conversion and illegal activities. The victim claimed she was also subjected to regular sexual exploitation.

The court noted that the victim, influenced by a higher priest, was manipulated into adopting Christianity for the promise of job security. Despite arguments by the accused that the victim fabricated the story in retaliation for her job termination in 2022, the court found the allegations serious and horrifying.

Case Title: Rajendra Bihari Lal And Ors vs. The State Of Uttar Pradesh And Ors