Allahabad HC rules on conversion bail and Rahul Gandhi FIR plea
- The Allahabad High Court granted bail to eight convicts in a religious conversion case.
- Eight other convicts were denied bail due to the serious nature of the charges.
- The court dismissed a plea seeking an FIR against Rahul Gandhi for his US remarks.
- Justice Vikram D Chauhan ruled that Gandhi's speech is protected under Article 19.
- Criminal appeals for the conversion case are scheduled for January 2027.
On Wednesday, the Allahabad High Court granted post-conviction bail to eight individuals and denied it to eight others in a case involving an alleged illegal mass religious conversion racket. These appeals were filed against a September 2024 judgment from the Special Judge, NIA, Lucknow.
The court rejected bail for Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui, Mohd. Faraz Babullah Shah. The Bench described the charges against these eight convicts as "of very serious in nature".
The court found the roles and evidence against these individuals to be on the "lighter side". These eight convicts had already served over four years and six months in prison during the trial and post-conviction period.
Bail conditions and future hearing dates for conversion case
The eight convicts released on bail must furnish a personal bond and two sureties. They are required to deposit their passports and cooperate with all appeal hearings. They cannot leave the country without permission or engage in similar criminal activities.
The court mandated that these convicts deposit 50% of the trial court-imposed fines within two months. Failure to meet this requirement will result in the cancellation of bail and their return to jail.
Background of the religious conversion case
The case originated in 2021 at the ATS Police Station in Gomti Nagar, Lucknow.
A trial court judgment on September 11, 2024, alleged that Umar Gautam operated the Islamic Dawah Centre in Delhi.
High Court dismisses plea seeking FIR against Rahul Gandhi
The Allahabad High Court dismissed a plea seeking an FIR against Rahul Gandhi regarding remarks made in the USA on September 9, 2024.
Justice Vikram D Chauhan ruled that Gandhi's speech is protected under Article 19 of the Constitution. He noted that raising public concerns is a core function of an elected representative.
The court observed that the speech did not incite violence, secession, or armed rebellion. Any potential misuse of his words by third parties does not make the speech itself an offence, the court observed.
Legal history of the Rahul Gandhi complaint
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Niraj Kumar Tripathi dismissed the initial complaint on October 17, 2025.
The magistrate stated that an FIR cannot be lodged based on the mere apprehension that a crime might be committed. A sessions court dismissed a revision plea against the magistrate's order on July 9, 2026.
This led to the challenge before the High Court.
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