Lucknow: In the first conviction under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021, a 26-year-old man was sentenced to a five-year jail term.
An Amroha court made the conviction on Saturday, informed Additional Director General of Police, Prosecution, Ashutosh Pandey.
Afzal, the accused, was also slapped a fine of Rs 40,000.
Investigation officer Gajendra Pal Singh said that Amroha police arrested Afzal on April 4, 2021, from Delhi and booked him under UP’s anti-conversion law for allegedly kidnapping a 16-year-old girl belonging to another community.
“The girl’s father, who ran a plant nursery, claimed that his daughter left home for work but did not return. He also informed the police that two locals had spotted her with a youth,” informed an official.
The girl’s family had told police that they were aware about the girl being in regular touch with Afzal, who used to visit her father’s plant nursery frequently.
Police then filed a case against Afzal, charging him with kidnap and invoking the anti-conversion law.
