Supreme Court protects Broadwell Christian Hospital Society Chairman from arrest in religious conversion case

New Delhi, September 2

The Supreme Court has granted interim protection from arrest to the Chairman of Broadwell Christian Hospital Society in Fatehpur district of Uttar Pradesh in a forceful religious conversion case.

A Bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh Government on an appeal by Mathew Samuel and others challenging the Allahabad High Court’s order refusing to quash the FIR filed against them at Police Station Kotwali, District Fatehpur in this regard.

On behalf of the petitioners, senior advocate CU Singh urged the court to stay the investigation with respect to the FIRs, alleging abuse of the criminal justice process.

The high court had refused to quash the proceedings against Samuel and others in the FIR filed against them.

The Uttar Pradesh Police have registered FIRs against Samuel and others under various provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021, and certain provisions of the IPC following receipt of complaints of mass religious conversion.