What was the role of Islamic scholar Siddiqui in religious conversion syndicate? SC asks UP

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked Uttar Pradesh to inform it on the specific role attributed to Islamic scholar Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui, who was arrested in September 2021 for allegedly running a religious conversion syndicate.

A bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Sanjay Kumar asked the counsel appearing for the State of Uttar Pradesh to give a tabular statement on the specific role attributed to Siddiqui.

"What is the specific role attributed to this person (Siddiqui) and what was placed before the High Court,” asked the bench while posting for hearing on September 5 a plea of the government challenging the Allahabad High Court order passed on April 5 granting bail to Siddiqui.

The High Court granted bail to Siddiqui in a case lodged against him for alleged offences under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021.
Granting bail to Siddiqui, the High Court had noted that one of the co-accused in the case was granted bail by the apex court, while the other was given relief by a coordinate bench of the High Court.

During the hearing on Tuesday before the top court, the State opposed the bail granted to Siddiqui saying that he was the main conspirator.
The state contended that the High Court had granted bail to Siddiqui solely on the basis that the co-accused were granted relief.
Further probe in the matter has revealed how the national level network was working towards the “objective of waging war” against the Constitution of India and “how it seeks to replace the Constitution with 'Sharia' law”, the counsel appearing for Uttar Pradesh said.

“Conversion per se is permissible. There is no issue with that… Conversion while following the means that were being followed here - means of allurement, threat, torture, money, everything is coming, is not permissible,” the counsel added.
Siddiqui, an Islamic scholar and president of the Jamia Imaam Waliullah Trust, has been accused of running a mass religious conversion racket through several organisations and schools he funded and by receiving funding from international organisations.

He was arrested by the anti-terrorist squad of Uttar Pradesh police in September 2021. Siddiqui has also been accused of promoting enmity between different religious groups and disturbing India’s sovereignty and integrity.