Gujarat Pastor's Family Seeks High Court Intervention to Quash Conversion Charges
The family of a pastor has filed a petition in the Gujarat High Court, seeking to quash charges of illegal religious conversion that have been levied against six of its members. These charges are connected to an ongoing rape case involving the pastor's son, who is a practicing doctor.
Background of the Case and Allegations
According to the petition submitted on Thursday, the allegations of religious conversion were introduced months after a 27-year-old widow accused the pastor's son of rape. The woman claimed that the doctor had promised to marry her, leading to a relationship that lasted for six months before she filed a First Information Report (FIR) at the Mandvi police station in Surat district in May 2025. Subsequently, the police filed a chargesheet against the doctor in July 2025.
In December 2025, authorities presented another report to the court, alleging that the complainant had been illegally converted to Christianity by family members of the accused doctor. This allowed the police to invoke specific sections of the Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act, 2003, along with Sections 5 and 6 of its 2021 amendment. The charges target the doctor's parents, his two sisters, and two other relatives.
Basis of Conversion Charges and Legal Arguments
The conversion charges stem from the complainant's statement, where she asserted that the doctor had informed her he would only marry a Christian woman. Following this, she began participating in religious rituals and was eventually converted. However, the petition, filed through advocate Utkarsh Dave, contends that investigators have improperly merged two distinct allegations—the rape complaint and the later conversion claim—into a single investigation.
The petition emphasizes the innocence of the six petitioners, arguing that the proceedings are motivated by vengeance. It further alleges that the complainant aimed to implicate the family due to the doctor's father being a pastor and a trustee of a Christian charitable trust.
Procedural Concerns and Legal Hurdles
Additionally, the petition raises significant procedural issues, stating that prosecution under the Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act cannot proceed without prior sanction from the district magistrate. It claims that no such approval was obtained in this instance, potentially invalidating the charges. The matter is anticipated to be heard by the court in the near future, highlighting the complex interplay between criminal allegations and religious freedom laws in Gujarat.
