For forced conversion of national-level shooter that ‘ended her career’, man handed life term by Ranchi court

The prosecution had argued that Hasan and Ahmad would frequent Khelgaon, Ranchi, where they met the woman. According to court documents, Hasan introduced himself as a businessman from the Khatri community. He and the woman got married in 2014 as per Hindu customs, but he refused to apply a ‘tika’, place any idols or take “seven rounds around sacred fire”, court documents note. The next day, the woman was made to convert to another faith and solemnise their “nikah”, court documents show.

Before passing the order, the judge observed: “I would like to decide the core issue of the dispute… it can be safely held that the accused… was practising Islamic rituals/practices and was also known as a person of that religion or belief by the persons around him…”

He added, “Documents (Aadhaar Card and PAN card) can’t prove religious identity of any person. I believe religion or belief is a matter of an individual’s conscience. The determination of religious acceptance of a person must not be made on his name or birth. When a person intends to profess any faith or belief, he does all that is required by the practices of that particular faith/religion to which he belongs, and he is accepted as a person of that religion or belief by persons around him. The prosecution has brought evidence in the form of documents/materials to prove that the above accused is known by another name, Rakibul Hasan/Rakibul Khan Saheb, and he used to follow the religious practices of Islam.”

The court said that the defence has failed to explain why a nikah ceremony was organised the day after the wedding. “And if he (Hasan) is a secular or cosmopolitan individual, then why deny the fact of organising nikah ceremony at his residence, which is duly proved by the prosecution witnesses?” the court asked.

The court added that relatives of the woman were not called for the nikah, while all three accused were in attendance. “The entire circumstances brought by the prosecution indicate motive, preparation and previous and subsequent conduct of the accused persons,” the court said.

Judge Sharma said the convicts have committed an offence of serious nature as they played fraud and committed atrocities on a young girl who was shining at the time as a national-level shooter and was an example of an empowered woman as well as a national asset.

The court also said the convicts “lured/approached her with their buttery words” when she was in grief due to her mother’s loss.

An FIR in the case was filed in 2014 and Ranchi Police filed a supplementary chargesheet in 2015. Eventually, the High Court ordered a CBI investigation in the case.