Supreme Court Grants Bail In Uttarakhand Interfaith Marriage Case

The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted bail to a man booked under Uttarakhand’s anti-conversion law for marrying a woman of another faith.

Aman Siddiqui, also known as Aman Chaudhary, had moved the apex court after the Uttarakhand High Court denied him bail in February.

The case began when Rudrapur Police Station in Udham Singh Nagar district registered an FIR.

Police booked Siddiqui under the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act, 2018, and Sections 318(4) and 319 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. His counsel said objections by individuals and organisations led to the complaint.

The interfaith marriage, he added, had been arranged with the consent of both families.

Marriage had parental approval, says Supreme Court

Justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chand Sharma noted that both families had approved the marriage. The court said the state could not object to the couple living together since they had married of their own free will.

The top court said the ongoing case should not prevent the couple from residing together. It added that Siddiqui had already spent nearly six months in jail, which justified granting bail.

Trial court to decide bail conditions

The bench allowed the appeal and directed that Siddiqui be presented before the trial court as soon as possible. The trial court will set the bail conditions to ensure his cooperation in the legal process.

The court warned that violating any condition would lead to cancellation of the bail. It urged Siddiqui not to misuse the liberty granted.

The judgment makes an important observation on personal liberty and inter-faith marriage case proceedings under state laws.

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