A First Information Report (FIR) under the newly-enacted Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act, 2026, otherwise known as the anti-forceful conversion law, has been registered at Mumbai’s Meghwadi police station in Jogeshwari East. Interestingly, in Maharashtra this is the first FIR having been lodged under the newly-enacted anti-unlawful conversion legislation.
An offence has been recorded under Section 9(1) of the new Act. In her FIR, 50-year-old Nilesha Nilesh Rane, who does household chores for a living in Goregaon area, has alleged that her daughter Shravani (22) was deceitfully trapped by Mohd Faiz alias Faiz Akbar Khan (24), a resident of Ameena Nagar in Jogeshwari East, with an allurement of marriage and other false promises.
Nilesha goes on to narrate in the FIR that in 2020 her daughter could not continue her education after 9th standard mainly due to Covid-19 pandemic. She adds that back then as she did not have a mobile phone she could not attend online classes, an unfavourable odd compelling her to stop her education midway.
Seeing this, after a few months, her father bought her a new mobile phone and in the meantime Shravani completed a beauty parlour course, according to the FIR. Her father later died. Her mother adds in the FIR that Shravani used to get orders for doing bridal make-ups at weddings and would go to work and then come back. However, she somehow came in contact with Faiz who lured her with false promise of marriage and other enticements.
On October 18 afternoon, her mother alleges, Shravani like usual went out for work but did not return home and was also not answering her phone calls. Panicked by this, Nilesha (Shravani’s mother) lodged an FIR at the Virar police station under Section 140 (3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, for kidnapping.
It must be noted that due to unavoidable circumstances Nilesha shifted to Virar in May 2026 with her daughter Shravani and son Ashutosh (26) and since then has been staying there with them in a rented room.
On October 20, Shravani informed her mother that she and Faiz had tied the conjugal knot at a family court in Mumbai. Back then, Shravani was called at the police station and her statement was recorded. She had told the police that she married Faiz out of her own free will and also showed her marriage certificate to the police.
On the marriage certificate her name was recorded as Shravani Nilesh Rane. However, on October 24 Faiz sent a marriage invitation card to Nilesha on her son’s WhatsApp with Shravani’s name printed on it as Ayesha. After seeing this Mulism name, Nilesha got suspicious and thought her daughter had become victim of an unlawful conversion.
The Voice of Malegaon contacted Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Zone III-West Region, Datta Nalawade, in whose jurisdiction the Meghwadi Police Station falls, to know the current status of the case and whether the accused has been arrested and produced before a court. However, Nalawade could not give any detail as he could merely say, “I am busy in a conference” and asked this writer to call him back.
Similarly, this writer tried to get in touch with Senior PI Kiran Shaligram, the investigating officer in the case, but this attempt also did not yield any fruitful result.
On August 28 this year, the Maharashtra government imposed the newly-enacted law criminalizing forceful and unlawful conversion from one religion to another. The law makes a provision of a 7 years imprisonment for first offence and a 10 years imprisonment for a repeat offence making it one of the harshest legislations.
Section 9 (1)- 7 years jail for first offence
The Section 9 (1) of the newly-enacted Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act, 2026, makes a provision of jail punishment. It says, “Whoever contravenes the provisions of Section 3 shall be punished with imprisonment for a term of seven years and shall also be liable to fine of one lakh rupees.” Section 3 prohibits ‘unlawful conversion’ and in details describes different types of false enticements.
What makes the Act of 2026 different from any other anti-forceful conversion law is that it makes a provision for blood and close relatives who can also file an FIR on behalf of the victim. Besides, the police can also record a suo moto offence under Section 8(3).
Section 8 (3) – Police can act suo moto
Section 8 of the Act of 2026 make provisions for offences and punishment for them. Section 8 (3) reads, “If a police officer is satisfied that the conversion is made or is being made in contravention of the provisions of the Act, then he shall take suo motu cognizance of such contravention.” Under the Act, a person – without being under any undue influence or duress – willfully intends to convert to a new religion or a priest, institution or an NGO facilitating it are required to give a 60 days notice in advance to the district magistrate.
