On January 22, a special SC/ST court in Uttar Pradesh’s Ambedkar Nagar district delivered a landmark judgment by convicting a Christian couple under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act. Amar Ujala says this marks the first conviction under the state’s anti-conversion law. Pastor Jose Pappachan and his wife, Sheeja Pappachan, were found guilty of engaging in forced religious conversions and were sentenced to five years in prison. Additionally, a fine of ₹25,000 was imposed on each.

The case originated from a complaint filed on January 18, 2023, by Dr. Chandrika Prasad, a BJP leader and Scheduled Caste (SC) activist. Prasad alleged that the couple had been actively targeting the SC community in Shahpur Firoz village for months, attempting to convert poor families to Christianity through coercion and inducements. Their activities culminated in organizing a mass gathering on December 25, 2022, to carry out large-scale religious conversions, which caused significant unrest and hurt sentiments within the community.

Based on Prasad’s complaint, a First Information Report (FIR No. 0031/2023) was registered at Jalalpur Police Station. Police investigations, including witness testimonies and evidence collection, led to the submission of a chargesheet against the couple. According to Ambedkar Nagar SP Keshav Kumar, the couple was charged under Sections 3 and 5 of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act. While Section 3(1) of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was initially invoked, it was later dismissed by the court.

The accused, identified as residents of Bijanwada village in Pipariya Tehsil, Hoshangabad, Madhya Pradesh, were arrested shortly after the complaint. Jose Pappachan, originally from Kerala, was imprisoned on January 18, while his wife, Sheeja, was taken into custody on January 22. The verdict was delivered by Judge Ram Vilas Singh after a thorough review of the evidence and testimonies, affirming the couple’s guilt in promoting unlawful conversions.

On March 31, 2023, Jose Pappachan and Sheeja AMN were charged under Section 3/5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Prevention of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021, along with Section 3(1) of the SC/ST Act. The accused denied the allegations and requested a trial. Subsequently, on October 8, 2024, the court issued an amended order replacing the ordinance referenced in Section 2 of the Act and removing Section 1 of the initial charges filed in March 2023.

Chandrika Prasad, a BJP leader and SC activist, was among the prosecution witnesses (PWs). Circle Officer (CO) Devendra Kumar also testified during the proceedings. The prosecution presented numerous testimonials and incriminating evidence, including a large book, four diary books, two small diaries, and four calendars depicting Jesus Christ. However, at the prosecution’s request, the introduction of some evidence was deferred.

Under Section 313 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the accused refuted the charges while recording their statements. They alleged that the case was fabricated with political motives and aimed at misappropriating government funds. The accused did not present any defence evidence to support their claims.

After a thorough review of the evidence and arguments presented by both the special public prosecutor and the defence counsel, the court ruled in favour of the prosecution. The judge observed that the accused had unlawfully attempted to convert members of the Scheduled Castes in Shahpur Firoz village, under the Jalalpur Police Station in the Ambedkar Nagar district. The police documentation and witness testimonies corroborated the prosecution’s case. The court concluded that the accused had committed a grave offence and deserved conviction.

During the trial, the judge read the charges aloud and detailed the events as stated by Chandrika Prasad, one of the primary witnesses. According to Prasad, the incident occurred on January 30, 2023, around 1:00 PM. Lavkush and another individual, whose name he could not recall, informed him that two individuals, Jose Pappachan and Sheeja, were attempting to convert members of the Dalit community in Shahpur Firoz village by offering various inducements. Prasad immediately notified the Station House Officer (SHO) of Jalalpur Police Station, who arrived at the location and arrested the accused on the spot.

Prasad further testified that conversion-related materials were seized from the accused and that he visited the Dalit locality, where locals corroborated the allegations. He submitted a written complaint, attached to the case file, bearing his signature and detailing the incident. Identifying himself as a social worker advocating for Dalits, Prasad stated that the accused’s actions caused significant mental distress to him and his community. He explained that the attempted conversions provoked outrage among the villagers, prompting the registration of a formal case. The CO also inspected the area, recorded Prasad’s statement, and corroborated the evidence based on his account.

As per the Organiser, the court detailed how the accused, Jose Pappachan and Sheeja AMN, manipulated illiterate SC villagers from the Lona Chamar caste into attending Bible lessons and prayer meetings under the guise of teaching community values and education. According to Lavkush, the accused frequently visited the house of a villager named Viphala, where they gathered locals and introduced Bible teachings, offering books and inviting them to a church in Manguradila.

Lavkush testified that the accused celebrated Christmas with villagers, offering food, sweets, and cake, and held prayer meetings that attracted community members, including children. Viphala, an uneducated villager, revealed that the accused urged her and others to abandon alcohol and violence, distributed Bible books, and encouraged them to follow Christianity.

She admitted organizing gatherings at her home where the accused preached about Jesus Christ and celebrated Christmas by cutting cakes and displaying images of Christ. Manju corroborated these claims, adding that the couple distributed free books, notebooks, and pens to children and conducted multiple prayer meetings to promote Christianity, even instructing villagers to share the Bible with literate individuals.

Suramani further testified that the accused frequently visited the village, held community meals, and used these occasions to propagate Christianity, giving Bible books to villagers like Viphala. The testimonies collectively highlighted how the couple exploited the community’s illiteracy and vulnerability, using promises of education and material offerings to pressure them into converting to Christianity.

Suramani, another villager, recounted:
“I, like most residents of my village, am uneducated. Approximately a year ago, Jose Papachan and Sheeja began visiting our village regularly. They often taught our children and shared lessons from the Bible. These visits frequently took place at the house of Viphala Devi, where they gathered villagers to discuss Jesus Christ and encourage us to convert to Christianity. They organized community feasts and distributed Bible books among us. Following these activities, my statement was later recorded by the authorities.”