During questioning of the parents, police said the names of a Muslim cleric who allegedly solemnised the nikah and a witness have come into light. (King George’s Medical University (KGMU) /Photo Credit: kgmu.org)
The Lucknow Police Monday arrested the parents of a resident doctor at King George’s Medical University (KGMU) on charges of alleged forcible religious conversion.
Police said the action was taken after two women — doctors at Agra Medical College and KGMU — levelled allegations against the couple. Police said the Agra doctor alleged forcible conversion for marriage, and the other woman claimed she was pressured to convert so she could marry their son.
DCP Vishwajeet Srivastava said the accused doctor, Rameezuddin, faces charges of sexual exploitation of the two victims besides conversion and miscarriage charges.
Police said his parents, Salimuddin (70) and Khadija (60) were held after questioning. They live in a rented house in the Old City area in Lucknow. Police have also increased the reward on the doctor, who is on the run, from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000.
DCP Srivastava told The Indian Express that the arrests were made after the statements of both victims were recorded before a magistrate, in which they alleged the parents’ role in forcing them to convert and causing a miscarriage.
While questioning the parents, police said the names of a cleric who allegedly solemnised the nikah and a witness came to light. Police said they will verify their roles to ascertain if they should be made accused in the case.
In the meantime, police teams have been dispatched to different places to trace the resident doctor after obtaining a non-bailable warrant. They also have decided to approach court seeking directions to attach his property.
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Police have conducted raids at his house in Uttarakhand and his ancestral house in Pilibhit but have yet to gather any information about his whereabouts.
The medical university had earlier suspended the accused doctor after his colleague at KGMU, on December 23, lodged a complaint. Police had booked the accused under BNS sections 69 (sexual intercourse by employing deceitful means etc), 89 (causing miscarriage without woman’s consent) and 351 (criminal intimidation) besides religious conversion charges.
Police said the KGMU complainant claimed she came in contact with another woman — the Agra doctor — who identified herself as Rameezuddin’s wife. According to the complainant, the woman told her she had converted for the marriage, which was solemnised last February.
According to police, the KGMU complainant had also alleged that she became pregnant in September last year and when she told the accused, he gave her abortion pills.
Bhupendra Pandey is the Resident Editor of the Lucknow edition of The Indian Express. With decades of experience in the heart of Uttar Pradesh’s journalistic landscape, he oversees the bureau’s coverage of India’s most politically significant state. His expertise lies in navigating the complex intersections of state governance, legislative policy, and grassroots social movements. From tracking high-stakes assembly elections to analyzing administrative shifts in the Hindi heartland, Bhupendra’s reportage provides a definitive lens on the region's evolution.
Authoritativeness He leads a team of seasoned reporters and investigators, ensuring that The Indian Express’ signature "Journalism of Courage" is reflected in every regional story. His leadership is central to the Lucknow bureau’s reputation for breaking stories that hold the powerful to account, making him a trusted figure for policy analysts, political scholars, and the general public seeking to understand the nuances of UP’s complex landscape.
Trustworthiness & Accountability Under his stewardship, the Lucknow edition adheres to the strictest standards of factual verification and non-partisan reporting. He serves as a bridge between the local populace and the national discourse, ensuring that regional issues are elevated with accuracy and context. By prioritizing primary-source reporting and on-the-ground verification, he upholds the trust that readers have placed in the Express brand for nearly a century. ... Read More
