Love-jihad accused, father arrested

RANCHI: Waqar Danish Anwar, who allegedly forced his Hindu wife to convert to Islam after a love marriage, and his father Anwarul Haq 55, a co-accused, were arrested on Friday, a day after his wife, Jaya Bhandari, lodged a case under Section 295A (related to deliberate malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings) and Section 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion) against them.
"The two were produced at a local court, which sent them to 14-day judicial custody," said Sapan Kumar Mahtha, officer in-charge of Namkum police station. Jaya had lodged a case with Ranchi's women police station, but it was transferred as both the complainant and the accused live in Maulana Azad Colony under Namkum police station.
The FIR says Danish married Jaya in October 2013 on the promise that he belongs to a "secular-minded family" that would never force her to convert to Islam. After marriage he allegedly tortured her to convert, forced her to accept nikah and named her Zoya Anwar.
Bhandari narrated her story to the owner of a city hotel, where she is currently a receptionist, who connected her to Jharkhand BJP women's wing chief Usha Pandey. Pandey said: "The girl wants the accused convicted." She claimed that the woman was physically tortured for over a year after she refused to convert," said Pandey. Jharkhand Women's Commission chief Mahua Manjhi, who called upon Bhandari, said: "The girl has shown me the injury marks on her body. We will help her fight for justice."
Meanwhile Danish, who talked to reporters at Namkum police station, said Jaya wanted a lavish and modern lifestyle. "She wanted to go to posh hotels and bars. We refused to allow this," Danish, who denied having ever tortured her to convert, said. "We never forced her. She willingly accepted nikah. She was free to pursue the religion of her choice," he claimed. City SP Anup Birthary said: "The case is under investigation."