Supreme Court gives interim relief to SHUATS vice chancellor RB Lal

The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the arrest of Vice-Chancellor of the Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences (SHUATS) Rajendra Bihari Lal in a case concerning an attempt to convert people to Christianity.

The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the arrest of Vice-Chancellor of the Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences (SHUATS) Rajendra Bihari Lal in a case concerning an attempt to convert people to Christianity. UP police have named Professor Lal as an accused of engaging in forced conversation and booked him under provisions of the IPC Act, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, and UP Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud also issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government on Lal's plea. "Pending further orders, there shall be a stay of coercive proceedings against the petitioner in connection with FIR No 328/2023 dated 21 June 2023 lodged at Police Station Naini, Yamuna Nagar (Commissionerate Prayagraj) and FIR No 318/2023 dated 4 September 2023 lodged at Police Station Ghurpur, Yamuna Nagar (Commissionerate Prayagraj)," the court said.

Lal was represented by senior advocate Siddharth Dave. His lawyer told the court that Lal was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in Delhi for treatment of severe pneumonia. The lawyer mentioned that the Crime Branch, Allahabad had reached the Hospital in on October 4 to arrest the Petitioner overlooking his medical condition forcing the Hospital to discharge him and take him into custody.

But since the Petitioner was not in stable condition, the hospital refused to discharge the Petitioner on Oct 4, 2023, the lawyer said. RB Lal, who is vice chancellor of 'Sam-Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, a Christian minority institution at Naini, Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh has moved the SC through his advocate on record Pallavi Sharma.

"What is alarming is that the Respondent State is trying to take into custody the Petitioner who is in Intensive Care Unit and on constant oxygen support. Further, the Petitioner herein is under treatment for almost one month and is not medically fit to be taken into custody and such act on the part of the Respondent State is in gross violation of article 21," the petitioner said. Along with quashing of FIR, the petitioner has also sought to direct the UP government to provide adequate safety and security to him and his family members and other employees of the University. (ANI)

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