A troubling case of forced conversion has emerged in Uttarakhand. On May 25th, the Ranipur Police in Haridwar district registered an FIR against Hakeem Mufti Adil under Sections 3 and 5 of the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act, 2018. The complaint was filed by a man named Kundan, who alleged that Hakeem Mufti Adil enticed his parents to convert to Islam in exchange for money.

Kundan's complaint, as recorded in the FIR, stated, “I request you to register a report and take legal action concerning the matter of religious conversion through deception and allurement of money. My parents, Sangeeta (wife of Charan Singh) and Charan Singh (son of Kartar Singh) are both illiterate and simple, poor people. Due to illness, they frequently visited a Hakim in Vikasnagar, Dehradun district, for treatment. This Hakim, Mufti Adil (son of Rifaqat), who resides near the police post in Vikasnagar, lured my parents with promises of money and land, resulting in their conversion to Islam.”

According to Kundan, his parents, Sangeeta and Charan Singh, are uneducated and lead a modest life. They have been struggling with health issues, which led them to seek treatment from a local Hakim in Vikasnagar, Dehradun district. The Hakim, identified as Mufti Adil, allegedly exploited their vulnerability by promising them money and land if they converted to Islam.

This incident has raised serious concerns about the protection of vulnerable individuals from coercion and deceit in matters of religion. The legal framework in Uttarakhand, particularly the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act, 2018, aims to prevent such incidents by imposing strict penalties for forced conversions. The case against Mufti Adil will be a significant test of the effectiveness of this law.

Kundan's complaint, as recorded in the FIR, stated, “I request you to register a report and take legal action concerning the matter of religious conversion through deception and allurement of money. My parents, Sangeeta (wife of Charan Singh) and Charan Singh (son of Kartar Singh) are both illiterate and simple, poor people. Due to illness, they frequently visited a Hakim in Vikasnagar, Dehradun district, for treatment. This Hakim, Mufti Adil (son of Rifaqat), who resides near the police post in Vikasnagar, lured my parents with promises of money and land, resulting in their conversion to Islam.”

The FIR further read, “This Maulana has previously been involved in converting poor and illiterate people by offering them money and is a very cunning individual. Consequently, my family and I are under a constant threat to our lives and property. Therefore, I kindly request that you register a case of religious conversion against this Maulana and take necessary action so that he cannot legally convert any more poor and illiterate Hindus.”

The Haridwar police have registered a case against Mufti Adil, a resident of Vikasnagar, for coercing and enticing a Hindu couple to convert to Islam. The accused, however, remains at large, with multiple police teams searching for his whereabouts.

Ranipur police station in-charge Vijay Singh informed senior officials about the youth's complaint. Considering the seriousness of the matter, a case has been registered against Mufti Adil. SSP Pramod Dobal stated that action will be taken after investigating the matter.

Police registered a case against Hakeem Mufti Adil based on Kundan’s complaint and promptly initiated an investigation. A team was dispatched to Vikasnagar on Monday night. Reports from Hindustan suggested that the accused was apprehended by the police and brought to an outpost on Monday morning but subsequently escaped, raising questions over the circumstances in which he managed to do so.

The station in charge of Vikasnagar police station, Rajesh Shah, stated, “Local police are investigating the matter. The police are trying to locate his whereabouts.” The accused has been distributing medicines in the area for years and managed to evade scrutiny in forced conversion cases till date.

MLA Munna Chauhan of BJP has urged the police to ensure the accused is apprehended as soon as possible. He emphasized the importance of addressing this issue swiftly to prevent further incidents of forced conversion and to maintain community trust in law enforcement efforts. The police continue their search for Mufti Adil, aiming to bring him to justice and uphold the law.

🚔 Despite the FIR, Adil remains at large. Multiple police teams are searching for him. MLA Munna Chauhan has urged quick action to apprehend Adil and prevent further forced conversions. Maintaining community trust in law enforcement is vital. #Justice #Islam #Muslim #Jihad pic.twitter.com/RiS2s6k9Q7 — Satyaagrah (@satyaagrahindia) May 29, 2024

One Son Died and the Other is in Jail

The information gathered by the police about the couple's family revealed that Charan Singh has three sons and a daughter. One of the sons died a few days ago. The second son is a drug addict and is in jail for setting fire to a neighbor's house. The third son, Kundan, works as a tile installer. Charan Singh himself works as a mason.

Talking to 'Dainik Jagran', Charan Singh's wife Sangeeta said, “I went to the doctor twice with my husband. During that time, the doctor talked to my husband alone for about half an hour. After this, my husband went to the doctor alone three-four times.”

It is alleged that after eating the churan, her husband's behavior changed. Sangeeta said, “I myself ate the churan and got relief from the Hakim's medicine. But, for the last three-four days, my husband has been wearing a Muslim cap and reciting Kalma.” It is alleged that when she told the Hakim about this on the phone, he said, “This happens.”

The case has highlighted serious concerns regarding the tactics used by some individuals to exploit vulnerable people. The police are continuing their investigation, aiming to gather more evidence and take necessary action to prevent further incidents of forced conversion. The authorities are working diligently to ensure that justice is served and to protect other potential victims from similar deceitful practices.