Image for representation. | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Lucknow on Wednesday (September 11, 2024) sentenced Islamic scholar and preacher Maulana Kalim Siddiqui along with 11 others to life imprisonment in an illegal religious conversion case. The court sentenced four other accused — Kunal Ashok Chaudhary, Rahul Bola, Mannu Yadav and Salim — to 10 years of imprisonment along with fines according to the relevant Sections imposed on them. Mr. Siddiqui and 11 others were convicted under Sections 121 A (conspiring to commit certain offences against the state), 123 (concealing with intent to facilitate a design to wage war), 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc.) and relevant Sections of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021. The other convicts are: Maulana Umar Gautam, Arshan Mustafa, Adam, Jahangir Qasmi, Kaushar Alam, Faraz Babullah Shah, Irfan Sheikh, Salahuddin Zainuddin Sheikh, Sarfaraz Ali Jafari, Mohd Atif and Abdullah Umar. Arrested in 2021 In 2021, the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad arrested Mr. Siddiqui from Meerut for allegedly running a nationwide syndicate for religious conversion. Mr. Siddiqui, 66, president of an Islamic trust, was accused of running a religious conversion racket through several organisations and schools he funded and receiving funds from international organisations. He was accused of promoting enmity between different religious groups and disturbing India’s sovereignty and integrity. Published – September 11, 2024 10:30 pm IST