By Muslim Mirror Staff
Maulana Umar Gautam, a prominent Islamic scholar, has been granted bail by the Allahabad High Court in the religious conversion case against him. However, he will continue to be held in custody due to other pending charges, according to his lawyer’s statement to the media.
Gautam’s ordeal began on June 20, 2021, when the Anti-Terrorist Squad of Uttar Pradesh arrested him under the controversial anti-conversion law.
The charges against him include allegations of forcibly converting thousands of individuals to Islam, including students with hearing disabilities. His organization, the Islamic Da’wah Centre, was also accused of arranging marriages for converts and receiving foreign funding.
Apart from facing charges of conspiracy, cheating, and outraging religious feelings, Gautam was also booked under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) initiated a separate investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in response to allegations of foreign funding and money laundering.
The situation escalated further in September of the same year when a Lucknow court accepted an ATS application to charge Gautam and others involved in the case with “conspiracy to commit offences” waging war against the state and “concealing with intent to facilitate design to wage war.”
Despite being granted bail in one of the cases on February 11, 2022, Gautam has remained in jail for 776 days now, as he faces additional pending charges.
His family has also faced scrutiny, with his son, Abdullah Gautam, being arrested in November 2021 for alleged involvement in conversions.
On July 4, 2023, the Supreme Court granted bail to Abdullah, stating that there was no need to keep him under further detention since charges have been framed in the case.