MP: Sohail becomes ‘Sunny’, first case under anti-‘love jihad’ law

The Shivraj Singh Chouhan cabinet last year Saturday approved the "Madhya Pradesh Religious Freedom Bill-2020 to check the rising cases of "love jihad" in the state.
The Bill will be introduced in the upcoming Assembly session, and once passed will become a law.

Under this law, there is a provision of awarding a maximum of 10 years imprisonment and a penalty of Rs 1 lakh for forceful conversion of any person under the pretext of marriage.

A shocking incident has come to light in Barwani district of the state in which a youth has been booked under the new ‘love jihad’ act. A complaint was filed by a 22-year-old woman in Barwani. She has alleged that a married man sexually abused her for four years by going under a false name and pretending to be from her community. 

A case has been registered against Sohail Manjum Mansoori, a resident of Palsud, under the new Religious Freedom Act. Regarding this, police inspector Rajesh Yadav said that the 22-year-old woman works in a shop in Barwani. Sohail worked as a driver but also played music at parties and events.

Accused Sohail started pressuring her to change her religion for marriage, said Barwani Kotwali police station in-charge Rajesh Yadav. Sohail had introduced himself as Sunny to the girl. The girl alleged that he beat her many times when she refused to change her religion. Sohail alias Sunny also threatened to kill her, the police complaint said.

The woman also said that Sohail was married and is father of a child. The accused, Sohail Mansuri alias Sunny, has been booked under Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Ordinance 2020 and IPC sections 376 (rape), 506 (criminal intimidation), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 294 (obscene act).