Jaipur, Sep 29 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Rajasthan High Court has dismissed a criminal revision petition filed by three accused persons in a case involving allegations of religious conversion in Sri Karanpur, Sri Ganganagar district.
A single-judge bench led by Justice Ashok Kumar Jain observed that the material submitted by the police establishes a prima facie basis for the alleged offences.
At the stage of taking cognisance, the court must determine only whether a prima facie case exists to proceed based on the police report.
The case stems from an FIR registered on December 19, 2025, at Sri Karanpur police station under Sections 3/5 of the Rajasthan Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2025, Section 14(A) of the Foreigners Act, and Section 223(B) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Complainant Sharad Gumbar alleged that certain individuals, including foreign nationals, were attempting to convert people to another religion by making objectionable remarks about Hindu deities and engaging in alleged supernatural activities. Following an investigation, the police filed a chargesheet against the three accused.
Counsel for the petitioners argued that although they conducted religious prayers in small groups twice a week, read the Bible, and imparted religious teachings, there was no evidence that they had induced, coerced, or provided misleading information to anyone with the intention of facilitating religious conversion.
It was further argued that the trial court, while passing the order taking cognisance, referred to "Section 3/25" of the Act, even though the legislation contains no provision corresponding to Section 25.
The Bench observed that the 2025 Act prohibits religious conversion through misrepresentation, misinformation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement, online solicitation, marriage or under the pretext of marriage, or other fraudulent means.
The Act also empowers any person to report an alleged offence. The Bench further noted that Article 25 of the Constitution guarantees every person freedom of conscience and the right to profess, practice, and propagate religion.
However, these rights are subject to considerations of public order, morality, and health. The Court clarified that the Act does not prohibit religious conversion entirely.
Rather, it criminalises conversions carried out through the means specified under Section 3. The Bench treated the reference to "Section 3/25" as a typographical or clerical error and directed that it be read as "Section 3/5."
It held that such an error alone could not provide grounds to allow the revision petition. The Court also clarified that the accused persons may file an application for discharge before the trial court under Section 250 of the BNS.
Source: IANS
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