The Supreme Court on Friday, October 17, 2025, quashed several First Information Reports (FIRs) and related criminal proceedings filed against the Vice-Chancellor (VC) and other officials of Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Science (SHUATS), Prayagraj. The cases were registered under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021, based on allegations of mass forced religious conversions to Christianity.
A bench comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra delivered the order, citing procedural deficiencies and inconsistencies in the complaints and investigations. The court found that in one of the FIRs, the complainant was not authorized under Section 4 of the UP anti-conversion law to file the complaint, as the law stipulates that only an aggrieved person or a relative by blood, marriage, or adoption can lodge an FIR. Although Section 4 was amended in 2024, the court held that the amendment would not apply in this instance.
The court specifically addressed several FIRs: * FIR 224/2022: Quashed due to an "incurable legal defect," as the person who lodged it was not competent to do so under the UP Conversion Act as it stood at the time. * FIR 55/2023 and FIR 60/2023: Quashed, citing the precedent set in the TT Antony case, which establishes that multiple FIRs cannot be filed for the same offense. * FIR 54/2023: Quashed due to a lack of confidence in the investigation's integrity and the materials gathered, deeming it unfit to proceed. * FIR 538/2023: The High Court erred in not quashing this FIR, as it did not establish an offense under the UP Conversion Act, considering the restrictions outlined in Section 4 of the Act.
The Supreme Court clarified that proceedings related to other charges under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including abetment to suicide and culpable homicide, would continue. The accused individuals have interim protection from arrest granted by the apex court, which will remain in effect.
In 2023, the Supreme Court had previously stayed the arrest of Dr. Lal after the Allahabad High Court rejected his plea for anticipatory bail. Subsequently, in December 2023, the Supreme Court granted interim protection from arrest to Dr. Lal and three other SHUATS officials.
During the proceedings, the Uttar Pradesh Police had alleged that the accused were involved in the mass illegal conversion of marginalized individuals from Hindu and Muslim communities to Christianity through enticement, threats, and coercion. The FIR filed in November 2023 also included allegations from a lower-middle-class woman who claimed she was lured into Christianity with gifts and clothing. She further alleged that the VC and others pressured her to bring other women for conversion and subjected her to sexual exploitation.
Senior Advocate Siddhartha Dave, representing Dr. Lal, argued that the VC was being unfairly targeted based on statements from a disgruntled employee and a rusticated student. The Supreme Court's decision provides significant relief to the SHUATS Vice-Chancellor and other officials, highlighting the importance of adhering to legal procedures and ensuring the credibility of investigations in cases involving religious conversion allegations.
