On December 12, Rudrapur Police booked Aman Qureshi, a resident of Delhi, for posing as a Hindu man to marry a Hindu woman under false pretenses. Based on the reports from OpIndia, the case was registered based on a complaint filed by Vinod Kohli under the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act, 2018, and Sections 318(4) and 219 of the Bharatiya Nayay Sanhita (BNS).

The First Information Report (FIR) names Islamist Qureshi, who introduced himself as Aman Choudhary, as well as an intermediary, Santosh Kumar, who allegedly vouched for his false identity. Police have launched an investigation, and the accused Islamist has been arrested.

According to the complaint, Qureshi claimed to be Aman Choudhary, hailing from a Kumaoni Hindu family settled in Delhi. Through Santosh Kumar, he was introduced to the complainant’s sister, Menaka Kohli. To solidify his deception, Islamist Qureshi’s family staged their residence to appear Hindu, including placing a small temple in the house.

Convinced by his purported identity, Kohli’s family agreed to the arranged marriage. On October 13, 2024, an engagement ceremony was held at City Club in Rudrapur, conducted as per Kumaoni Hindu customs. Aman’s family reportedly participated in traditional attire, further allaying suspicions. The wedding was held on December 10, following Hindu rituals, with Kohli’s family incurring expenses of ₹18–20 lakhs, including gifts of 150–160 grams of gold.

Kohli’s family began suspecting Aman’s identity after visiting his residence in Delhi post-wedding. They found that the household followed Islamic practices, with most family members dressed in Islamic attire. Upon questioning, Aman’s family allegedly admitted to being Islamist and demanded that the bride adopt Islamic customs.

The complaint states that Aman Qureshi and his family intentionally concealed their religion to deceive Menaka and coerce her into converting to Islam after marriage. The Kohli family accused them of attempting to disrupt their faith and enforce religious conversion, which is a punishable offense under Bharatiya law.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rudrapur, Manikant Mishra, confirmed that the Special Operations Group (SOG) was dispatched to Delhi, where Menaka was rescued from Aman’s house. Superintendent of Police (SP) Uttam Singh Negi stated that Islamist Aman Qureshi has been taken into custody, and further investigations are underway.

This incident highlights the legal and social implications of fraudulent marriages and alleged forced Islamic religious conversions under the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act. Based on reports from Hindu Post, the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act, 2018, enacted on May 14, 2018, aims to protect individuals from coercive and fraudulent religious conversions. Several cases have come to light where radical Abrahamic Islamists allegedly disguise themselves and, under false pretenses, manipulate and coerce Hindu individuals into conversion.