A court in Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar district sentenced a husband and wife to two years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on each after finding them guilty in an attempted religious conversion case. The judgment has drawn attention to the enforcement of anti conversion laws and the ongoing debate over conversions carried out through inducements.
The convicts, Ramesh Masih and his wife Sakhi, were found guilty under Sections 3 and 5 of the Madhya Pradesh Religious Freedom Act, 2021. According to the prosecution, the couple attempted to persuade a young man to convert to Christianity by promising him a job and a monthly salary of Rs 20,000. The complainant alleged that the accused were relatives of his wife and had repeatedly pressured the family to embrace Christianity.
The court heard allegations that the couple not only offered financial incentives but also encouraged the complainant’s wife to separate from her husband because he refused to change his religion. After examining the evidence presented during the trial, the court delivered a guilty verdict and imposed both imprisonment and monetary penalties. Prosecutors stated that the judgment was among the most significant convictions secured under the state’s anti conversion law.
The case has renewed concerns about religious conversions allegedly carried out through material inducements. Critics argue that faith should be a matter of personal belief and spiritual conviction rather than financial incentives or social pressure. They contend that offering employment, money, education, or other benefits in exchange for conversion undermines genuine freedom of conscience and particularly affects economically vulnerable individuals.
Supporters of anti conversion laws maintain that charitable activities and social welfare initiatives should not be tied to religious conversion efforts. They argue that individuals must be free to choose their faith without facing pressure, inducement, or manipulation. The Sagar judgment is likely to remain an important reference point in discussions surrounding religious freedom, conversion laws, and the protection of individual choice in India.