Lucknow: The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court on Monday took a stern view of police action in a case registered under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act. The court observed that preaching religious messages and distributing the Bible are not criminal offences.
The division bench comprising Justice Abdul Moin and Justice Babita Rani passed the order on a petition filed by Ram Keval Prasad and others. The petitioners have sought quashing of an FIR lodged at Dhammaur police station in Sultanpur district. The FIR was registered on August 17, 2025 under the anti-conversion law and various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023.
Complainant Manoj Kumar Singh alleged in the FIR that the accused organised a prayer meeting, distributed Bibles to Dalits, poor families, women and children and attempted to convert them. Counsel for the petitioners argued that the FIR was fabricated and did not disclose any offence.
The state counsel opposed the plea but failed to justify how preaching and distributing the Bible amounted to a criminal act. After hearing both sides, the court directed the state government to file a counter affidavit addressing four specific points raised during the hearing.
The petitioners have been allowed to submit a rejoinder within two weeks of the state’s reply. The court has listed the matter for the next hearing after six week
