Allahabad high court on Wednesday freed a 31-year-old Shamli man, saying he is at liberty to live wherever and with whomever he chose
SHAMLI: Allahabad high court on Wednesday freed a 31-year-old Shamli man, saying he is at liberty to live wherever and with whomever he chose after he alleged that his father had kept him under illegal restraint over his conversion to Islam and decision to marry a Muslim woman. The dispute had earlier led Devraj to lodge an FIR at Kotwali police station on June 6 against Qureshi, her relatives and others under Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021, along with provisions of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Qureshi and her father, Islam Qureshi, were arrested in the case and remained in jail until District and Sessions Judge, Shamli, granted them bail on July 24.
HC had termed the allegations “serious” on Sept 9 and directed state authorities and Devraj to produce Malik before it, following which a sub-inspector from Kotwali police station, Shamli, brought him to court on Wednesday. Justice Sandeep Jain passed the order on a habeas corpus petition filed by Ayush Malik’s friend, Sultan, who had alleged that Malik was being unlawfully confined by his father, Devraj Singh Malik, with the connivance of police. The court allowed Malik to reside wherever and with whomever he chose, practise the religion of his choice and take decisions regarding marriage in accordance with law, and disposed of the habeas corpus petition.
HC held that “an adult’s choice of religion and life partner is protected by Constitution and cannot be overridden merely because it is unacceptable to his family”.