The Madhya Pradesh Police arrested a 25-year-old man in Barwani area on Monday under the newly enacted MP Freedom of Religion Ordinance, 2020. The act aims to check the alleged rising cases of “love jihad” in the state.
“On the basis of a written complaint filed by a 22-year-old woman, a 25-year-old man was arrested on Monday on charges of rape and under provisions of the Freedom of Religion ordinance,” Barwani police station in-charge Rajesh Yadav said.
This is the first case registered in the state under the new law.
The woman in her complaint alleged that the accused had introduced himself to her as Sunny, when they met four years ago. She later came to know that he was a married Muslim man. After finding out about the man’s marital status and religion, the woman allegedly began distancing herself from him.
The new anti-conversion law in Madhya Pradesh came into effect on January 9. The law provides for imprisonment up to five years a minimum penalty of Rs 25,000 for carrying out forced religious conversions. There is a provision of three to ten years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 50,000 in cases of marriage carried out by hiding religion.
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Rushda Fathima Khan is the Staff Reporter for The Cognate.
