In a significant legal decision, an Indore court has sentenced a 27-year-old woman named Prarthana, her 33-year-old Muslim boyfriend, Iliyas Ahmed, and another individual, Mohammad Zafar Ali, to ten years in prison. The trio was found guilty of forcibly subjecting Prarthana's 8-year-old son to circumcision and enrolling him in a madrasa to alter his religion.

The case came to light when Mahesh, a resident of Barmer in Rajasthan, lodged a First Information Report (FIR) in Indore. He accused his wife, Prarthana, and her partner, Iliyas, of attempting to forcibly convert their young son to Islam and subjecting him to circumcision without his consent. This complaint was officially registered in July 2023.

On Thursday, the court delivered its verdict, sentencing Prarthana, Iliyas, and Mohammad Zafar Ali to ten years of imprisonment under Sections 467 and 471 of the Indian Penal Code. Additionally, each was handed a seven-year sentence and fined Rs 5,000 under the law against forced conversions.

Mahesh detailed in his complaint that he married Prarthana in 2014, and they welcomed a son in 2015. In 2018, during a family wedding, Prarthana absconded with Iliyas, taking their child along. While cohabiting with Iliyas, Prarthana attempted to change the child's religion without Mahesh's approval. The boy underwent circumcision and was enrolled in a madrasa by Iliyas and another accomplice. When Mahesh sought his son's return, Iliyas demanded Rs 5 lakhs. Mahesh also alleged that Iliyas had connections with members of the Popular Front of India (PFI) who were incarcerated for their activities.

Detail - 8-Year-Old Jain Boy Converted to Islam and Circumcised in Indore by His Mother and Her Muslim Lover; Fake Documents Made

In a shocking case from Indore, Madhya Pradesh, an 8-year-old Jain boy was forcibly converted to Islam and subjected to circumcision. His mother, along with her Muslim lover, Ilyas Qureshi, changed the child's name and created a fake birth certificate listing Qureshi as the boy’s father. The mother had already abandoned her husband's home to live with Ilyas, and she forced the child to accompany her.

After the forced circumcision, they fabricated documents that falsely presented the boy as a Muslim and Qureshi as his biological father. This case occurred in an area under the jurisdiction of the Khajrana police station.

The father of the minor lodged a complaint, after which the police filed a case against the accused under serious offenses, including forced conversion and cheating. In his complaint dated July 15, he clearly stated that his son is a Jain and accused the perpetrators of trying to indoctrinate the child with a "jihadi mentality."

Inspector Dinesh Verma from Khajrana police station provided updates on the case, saying that "the culprit was arrested late in the evening of 15 July." The police are interrogating him to determine how and where he obtained the fraudulent documents, and he is scheduled to appear in court.

Mother and Son Went Missing from the Train While Returning Home

Mahesh Kumar Nahata, the father of the minor, is a resident of Barmer in Rajasthan and works as a grain merchant. He married a girl from Shajapur in June 2014, and in 2015, their son was born. Everything was normal in their lives until February 25, 2018, when they traveled to Shajapur to attend an engagement ceremony.

After the function, the family boarded a train back to Siwana, their hometown. However, Mahesh's wife and son went missing from the train during the journey. The incident was immediately reported to the Ratlam police station.

Following an investigation, it was revealed that the woman had gone to live with Ilyas Qureshi in Indore. The police acted swiftly and apprehended Ilyas in Ratlam. The court sent him to jail. However, after being released, he contacted the woman again and convinced her to reunite with him.

Son Forcibly Taken by Mother; Father's Name Changed

The complainant, Mahesh Kumar Nahata, expressed deep concern over his wife's actions. He recounted that he pleaded with her to allow their son to stay with him, but she refused and left with the child. Despite his relentless efforts to locate them, their whereabouts remained unknown for an extended period. Mahesh stated, "I submitted an application to the Shajapur court regarding the custody of my young boy. The warrant could not be served since the cops were unable to locate their place of residence. I kept on looking for him in Indore, Shajapur, Ratlam, and Barmer."

During this time, it was uncovered that his wife had been residing in Raza Colony, Khajrana, with Ilyas Qureshi. Both his wife and son had been converted to Islam. Mahesh further added, "Ilyas Qureshi had my son circumcised. He also got the father's name and birth certificate changed by claiming himself to be the father of the 8-year-old. He forcefully enrolled the minor in a religious institution." Following these alarming revelations, Mahesh promptly reported the matter to the police.

Ilyas Qureshi’s Alleged Involvement in a Conversion Ring

Mahesh disclosed that both his wife and the accused, Ilyas Qureshi, are natives of Shajapur and had prior acquaintance. He alleged, "A whole racket of religious conversion is collaborating with Ilyas Qureshi. There's a case registered against his father in Shajapur as well. His family had a tailoring business. Later, he came to Indore and started living here."

Mahesh demanded that the cleric who assisted in creating the fraudulent documents and facilitated his son's conversion should also be held accountable. He expressed his dissatisfaction, stating, "But the police have taken action only on Ilyas Qureshi."

Acting on Mahesh's complaint, the police arrested the accused, Ilyas Qureshi. A case has been registered against him under sections 420, 467, 468, and 471 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), as well as under sections 3 and 4 of the Madhya Pradesh Religious Freedom Act.

This case highlights the grave issues surrounding forced religious conversions and the exploitation of minors. It underscores the urgent need for stringent legal measures to protect vulnerable individuals from such coercive practices.