HC orders CBI-NIA probe into 'forced religious conversion' in Bengal's Malda

KOLKATA: The Calcutta High Court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation and the National Investigation Agency to probe an alleged case of forced conversion in West Bengal's Malda district.

Two women in a writ petition filed before the high court claimed that their husbands, brothers by relation and residents of Kaliachak area of the district, were converted from Hinduism to Islam by force as part of a punishment for working for a political party which lost the last assembly election.

The petitioners, who are also sisters, submitted that their husbands were missing since November 24 last year and the police did not take any step in the matter even after being informed.

The state government, however, submitted that the two had converted to Islam voluntarily and they had left home because of a family dispute.

"Since the NIA and the CBI are the party respondents to the instant proceeding, appropriate inputs may be given from their side as regards the allegations made in the writ petition," Justice Rajasekhar Mantha said in his order on Thursday.

Other allegations made by the petitioners such as random forcible conversion, cross border infiltration, threats and intimidation, storage of huge quantities of arms and ammunition and counterfeit currency may also be addressed by the agencies, he said.

These allegations "may not be directly in issue to the claim of the writ petitioners but appear vitally linked to the allegations of abduction and forcible conversion of the petitioners' husbands", the order stated.

The court also directed the Malda district superintendent of police to independently submit a detailed report by way of an affidavit, on the allegations of the petitioners, the steps taken by the police, any preliminary enquiry report and any other information vital to the issue.

Justice Mantha said that the police should review the security of the petitioners who apprehend serious threats to their lives.

The matter will be heard again on June 21.

The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) welcomed the court order.

In a statement, VHP secretary, East Zone, Amiya Kumar Sarkar, also demanded a strong anti-conversion law in the state to check "illegal proselytisation".