No foreign funding in "love jihad" cases: SIT
Amid a huge furor over "love jihad," a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in Uttar Pradesh probing the matter has found no conspiracy or foreign funding in 14 cases that it examined. The team refuted allegations that the Muslim men were backed by other organizations, in its findings submitted on Monday. Inspector General (Kanpur Range) Mohit Agarwal had created the SIT. Here's more.
After right-wing organizations complained, an SIT was formed
Agarwal formed the team, taking cognizance of the complaints of right-wing organizations, including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). They claimed Muslim men hid their real identities from Hindu girls and lured them into marriages, eventually forcing them to accept Islam. Though the cops found cases where Muslim men kept their identities hidden — they used forged documents — they failed to establish a conspiracy.
14 cases from last two years were considered
The investigating team, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Vikas Pandey, took into account 14 cases lodged in different police stations in Kanpur, involving Muslim men and Hindu girls. In 11 cases, cops had taken action under IPC Sections 363 (punishment for kidnapping), 366 (kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her marriage, etc), and other charges, the SIT found.
In three cases, girls admitted they weren't forced
The SIT also found that in eight cases, the girls were minors. In three out of the 14 cases, where women were above 18, the cops filed closure reports after they denied being coerced for marriage. Agarwal said that of the 11 cases where the legal action was initiated, it was found that three Muslim men used fake identities to impress the Hindu girl.
In three cases, girls were forced to accept Islam
"In three of these 11 cases, the victims claimed they were forced into religious conversion. In three other cases, the girls said they were forced into marriage," said Agarwal. In eight cases, charge-sheets have been filed and the process for remaining is underway, informed police.
Four accused were acquaintances because they lived in same colony
Agarwal added that SIT couldn't establish "conspiracy" as only four, against whom cases were lodged, knew each other — that too because they lived in the same Juhi colony. "The conspiracy part could not be established. The inquiry team also did not find any organization to be behind the youths (accused). Also, they were not being funded from abroad," the top cop said.
None of the marriages were registered under Special Marriages Act
Separately, DSP Pandey said that in all 11 cases rules were flouted. "We found that the established procedure was not followed while changing the names of the girls before their marriage. Also, their marriages were not registered under the Special Marriages Act," he told Indian Express. To note, a couple of states, including UP, are mulling bringing a law against "love jihad."
