Bombay HC Refuses To Entertain US Citizen's Plea In Religious Conversion Case

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Monday refused to immediately entertain a plea filed by a US citizen, who sought a declaration that his arrest in a religious conversion case was illegal. The court directed him to first amend his petition before it could be considered.

About The Case

James Watson, 58, was arrested on October 3 by the Bhiwandi taluka police for allegedly attempting to convert villagers to Christianity and hurting religious sentiments. He is currently in judicial custody until October 17. The high court will now hear his amended plea today. The police claimed that Watson misused his business visa for religious activity. He and two locals, Sainath Sarpe, 42, of Palghar and Manoj Kolha, 35, of Chimbipada, preached against Hinduism, promoted Christianity, and promised prosperity and healing through prayer, the police alleged.

A bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam A. Ankhad observed that Watson’s plea filed as a habeas corpus (produce person in court) was not maintainable. “Once there is a remand order, habeas corpus cannot be invoked. We can’t hear you on a clamped-up charge. There are serious allegations against you. The only option you have is to seek bail,” the bench said.

Advocates Sudeep Pasbola and Zaman Ali, appearing for Watson, sought time to revise the petition and assured the court of prompt filing, which the bench permitted. The plea, moved through Watson’s wife Tracey Watson, sought interim relief and argued that the provisions invoked against him — under the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and Other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices Act (2013), the Juvenile Justice Act and the Foreigners Act — were inapplicable.

According to the petition, Watson, who lives with his wife in Thane on a B-2 business visa, had been invited by local Christians in the Chimbipada village, Bhiwandi, for a prayer meeting. The case was registered on a complaint by Ravinath Bhurkut, who also circulated a video of the alleged conversion attempt on social media. Watson asserted that the complainant, allegedly politically motivated and not a village resident, forcibly entered the premises and accused him of proselytising.

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