Madhya Pradesh: Satna man arrested under Freedom of Religion law

BHOPAL: A 38-year-old man was arrested under Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act in Satna late Thursday night after a woman he had lived with for 15 years accused him of hiding his religion. The law was enacted last year by the state government to prohibit forced religious conversions.
The woman, a 35-year-old, has alleged that Mohammed Rafi had pretended to be from another religion when he introduced himself.When she discovered the truth, she says, he forcibly changed her name on the ration card and other such documents.
Kolgawan police station in-charge, DP Singh Chauhan said, “The complainant and accused Mohammed Rafi lived together for 15 years.
For the past one-and-a-half years, she lived separately. She had alleged that the accused identified himself as ‘Rakesh’ when he first met her. When she came to know, he forcibly changed her name on some documents,” he said. Satna SP Dharmveer Yadav said the case was registered against Rafi on the basis of her complaint, and a court sent him to jail on Friday.
Rafi has been booked under IPC and sections 3, 4 and 5 of Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, said Chauhan.
If convicted under the Act, he faces jail from a year to five years and a fine of up to Rs 25,000.