Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui, Maulana Umar Gautam, and 14 others have been convicted by the NIA-ATS Court for their alleged involvement in illegal conversion cases. The court, presided over by Judge Vivekanand Sharan Tripathi, found the accused guilty under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 417 (cheating), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups), 153B (imputations prejudicial to national integration), 295A (outraging religious feelings), 121A (conspiracy to commit offenses against the state), 123 (concealing with intent to facilitate offenses), and the Illegal Conversion Act (sections 3, 4, and 5), reported the Times of India.
The court’s ruling came after thorough examination of the evidence presented, which Judge Tripathi described as “substantial enough to establish the guilt of the accused under the specified charges.”
The maximum punishment for these offenses can be life imprisonment, with a minimum sentence of ten years. The court is expected to announce the sentencing after hearing arguments from the defense and prosecution.
One of the accused, Idris Qureshi, has received a stay order from the High Court, temporarily halting his conviction. The other convicted individuals have been remanded to jail.
