A special court in Maharashtra's Nashik has granted bail to Nida Khan, one of the accused in a high-profile religious conversion case involving an IT company. The court's order has drawn attention for its reference to the birth of Lord Krishna while explaining the reasons for granting bail to the accused, who is five months pregnant. Nida Khan has been accused of pressuring a female colleague to convert to Islam and allegedly making derogatory remarks against Hindu deities. She was arrested nearly two months ago in connection with the case.
According to case records, Nida Khan is five months pregnant. The prosecution has alleged that she attempted to influence a colleague to embrace Islam by exerting religious pressure. She has also been accused of making objectionable remarks against Hindu gods and goddesses. Police arrested her around two months ago, and she has remained in judicial custody since then.
Why did the court mention Lord Krishna?
While granting bail this week, Special Judge KG Joshi referred to the birth of Lord Krishna in prison and observed that no child should have to face the trauma or social stigma of being born inside a jail. The court said,
"It is undisputed that the applicant, Nida, is five months pregnant. Like Lord Krishna, no child should have to suffer the trauma or social stigma associated with being born in prison. To avoid such a distressing situation and keeping in mind the welcome and overall welfare of the newborn child, it would be appropriate to exercise judicial discretion in favour of the applicant-accused." The observation formed part of the court's reasoning while allowing her bail application.
Investigation complete, charge sheet filed
The court also noted that the investigation in the case has been completed and the chargesheet has already been filed. According to the order, unlike the other accused, only one chargesheet has been filed against Nida Khan in the case registered at Deolali Camp Police Station.
In contrast, seven other accused in the case are facing a total of nine FIRs registered between March 26 and April 3. Investigators have alleged that Nida Khan distributed burqas and religious books to her colleagues and helped install religious applications on their mobile phones as part of efforts to encourage religious conversion.
Why the court order has drawn attention
The bail order has attracted public attention because the allegations against Nida Khan include making derogatory remarks against Hindu deities. According to the FIR, she allegedly made objectionable comments about Lord Krishna as well.
Against this backdrop, the court's decision to invoke the story of Lord Krishna's birth while granting bail has made the order particularly noteworthy. It is important to note that the court's reference was made in the context of protecting the welfare of an unborn child and explaining the exercise of judicial discretion. The observations do not amount to a finding on the merits of the allegations, which remain subject to trial.
Legal significance of the bail order
Grant of bail does not determine the guilt or innocence of an accused. It is a judicial decision based on factors such as the stage of investigation, the nature of allegations, the possibility of tampering with evidence, and humanitarian considerations, among other legal principles. The trial in the case will continue, and the allegations against the accused will be examined based on evidence presented before the court.
ALSO READ: Nashik TCS row: Accused Nida Khan taken into custody from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
