The Allahabad High Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh police and the father of two adult sisters to bring them before the court on August 6. This case raises serious allegations of illegal confinement involving the women, who opted to convert to Islam and marry according to their personal choices.
The ruling was issued by Justice Sandeep Jain on July 30, during the hearing of a petition filed by Divya Bhatia (now Zoya Diya Bhatia), aged 20, and Anshu Bhatia (now Amina Anshu Bhatia), aged 35.
The sisters, represented by their legal counsel, informed the court that their conversion from Hinduism to Islam was completely voluntary and free from any form of coercion or inducement. They emphasized that their decisions to marry are rooted in their constitutional rights as adults.
According to the women’s attorney, their father, Anil Kumar Bhatia, lodged a police complaint in Agra in May 2025, aiming to prevent them from exercising their choices. It is further alleged that, with the assistance of local police, they have been illegally confined due to their actions opposing their father’s wishes.
Legal Context
The defense lawyer argued that the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021, does not apply in their case, as there is no substantiated evidence of coercion, fraud, or deception regarding the conversions.
The court opined that “prima facie,” the details presented in the writ petition suggest that both women are adults who possess the legal capacity to make independent decisions about their religion, marriage, residence, and future. The court’s remarks indicated that their voluntary renunciation of Hinduism and subsequent embrace of Islam should be respected.
The court noted that if the petitioners’ claims prove accurate, then any interference with their personal choices could infringe upon their constitutionally protected rights, including dignity, privacy, and personal liberty.
Next Steps
In its ruling, the court underscored the necessity for the women to appear before the court to discuss their decisions directly. “Their production before this Court, therefore, becomes imperative to enable the Court to interact with them directly and to satisfy itself regarding the voluntariness of their decisions and the legality of their present custody,” it stated.
Additionally, the court mandated that if the sisters are not presented as scheduled, the police officials involved must submit personal affidavits explaining the reasons for their failure to comply, along with a detailed account of efforts made to ensure their appearance.
