4 hrs ago
Interfaith Couple’s Court Marriage Ends in Acquittal and Loss
Saiyyad Khan and a woman from another faith fell in love and wanted to marry.
They went to a court in Bhopal to use a law that allows people to marry across religions.
A group of lawyers attacked Khan inside the court.
Khan was then arrested because prosecutors said he had pressured the woman to become Muslim and marry him.
During the trial, the woman said she had left home willingly and had asked Khan to marry her.
Her mother and brother also did not support important parts of the accusations.
The court acquitted Khan because the main witnesses did not support the prosecution’s story.
Khan says he lost his job, faced attacks and separation from his family, and is now trying to rebuild his life.
Saiyyad Khan was assaulted by lawyers at Bhopal district court while seeking marriage under the Special Marriage Act.
He was later arrested over allegations that he pressured his partner to convert to Islam and marry him.
During the trial, the woman and key family witnesses denied or did not support the prosecution’s allegations.
The Narmadapuram district court acquitted Khan on September 8 after finding the prosecution case unsupported by key testimony.
Khan says he lost his job, faced hostility, and saw his former fiancée marry another man after his arrest.
- Who
- Saiyyad Khan and his former fiancée; the prosecution, family witnesses, lawyers, and the Narmadapuram district court were involved.
- What
- Khan was assaulted at court, arrested over alleged forced religious conversion and marriage, and later acquitted.
- Where
- The assault occurred at Bhopal district court; the criminal case was decided by the Narmadapuram district court in Madhya Pradesh.
- When
- The couple went to court on February 7, 2025; Khan was acquitted on September 8.
- Why
- The couple sought to marry under the Special Marriage Act, while prosecutors alleged Khan had pressured the woman to convert to Islam and marry him.
Prosecution Allegations
Defense and Court Findings
Religious conversion
Prosecution Allegations
The prosecution alleged that Khan pressured the woman to convert to Islam and take the name Rehana Khan.
Defense and Court Findings
The woman denied that Khan persuaded, induced, or threatened her to convert or told her she would receive that name.
How she travelled to Bhopal
Prosecution Allegations
The prosecution alleged that Khan induced the woman to travel with him to Bhopal for religious conversion and marriage.
Defense and Court Findings
The woman said she left home voluntarily, and her brother denied that Khan had taken her to Bhopal for conversion.
Reliability of the case
Prosecution Allegations
The case relied on allegations that the woman and her family had initially reported to authorities.
Defense and Court Findings
The court found that the woman and her mother did not fully support the prosecution story, and acquitted Khan after key witnesses were declared hostile or denied important allegations.
Key facts
- Accused
- Saiyyad Khan, 26
- Marriage plan
- The couple planned to marry under the Special Marriage Act.
- Court visit
- They travelled to Bhopal on February 7, 2025.
- Allegations
- Prosecutors alleged Khan pressured the woman to convert to Islam, change her name, and marry him.
- Key testimony
- The woman said she left home voluntarily and had asked Khan to marry her.
- Verdict
- The Narmadapuram district court acquitted Khan on September 8.
- Aftermath
- Khan lost his factory job, while his former fiancée later married another local man.
Quotes
Saiyyad Khan
The acquitted man at the center of the case
“The last time I saw her was in court, when she was defending me. Then, she got married… I was driven away from my home. Local villagers pelted my family with stones.”
indianexpress.com
“I wish to finally move on from this. I am happy with the verdict even though there is a lot of sadness for what I have lost.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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