UP court links 'love jihad' to foreign funding, hands life term to Muslim man

A judge in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly claimed that "love jihad" was being used as a way to change India's population and linked illegal conversions to foreign funding. The remarks were made as the judge sentenced a Muslim man to life in jail for raping and threatening a woman after he lied about his identity.

Notably, "love jihad" is a term, primarily used by some right-wing groups in India, referring to an alleged conspiracy where Muslim men target women from other religions, particularly Hindus, to marry them and convert them to Islam.

During the hearing on Monday, Uttar Pradesh's Additional District Judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar claimed that some groups were luring Hindu women into relationships to force illegal religious conversions, which, he said, threatened India's unity and security. Judge Diwakar stressed that illegal conversions, conducted under psychological pressure and promises of marriage, are funded by foreign sources and need urgent intervention, news agency PTI reported.

The judge also alleged that it was part of a larger plan to create conditions similar to those in Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The court then convicted 25-year-old Mohammad Alim to life imprisonment for raping a 20-year-old student. Alim had introduced himself as 'Anand' to the victim and established a relationship, which eventually led to forced abortion and threats.

The court also sentenced Alim’s father, Sabir, 65, to two years in prison for aiding his son’s crimes.

The student had alleged that Alim had deceived her into believing he was Hindu. After establishing a relationship and holding a fake marriage ceremony, he pressured her to get an abortion. Fearful for her life, the woman eventually filed a police complaint.

Senior police officer Manus Pareek stated that Alim was convicted under multiple sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

(Inputs by Krishan Gopal Raj)