Karnataka High Court denies bail to man accused of rape, forced conversion of SC married woman

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court recently denied bail to a man named Rafiq, who is accused of confining, raping a married woman, and forcing her to convert to Islam.

Justice S Rachaiah of the Dharwad bench made this decision on July 3, emphasising that courts must send a strong message against forced conversions and protect vulnerable individuals.

According to the court order, Rafiq befriended a married woman from the Scheduled Caste community and lured her to Belgavi with the promise of a job. Once there, he allegedly threatened, raped, and confined her while trying to force her to convert to Islam. The woman eventually escaped and reported the incident to her husband, leading to Rafiq's arrest.

Rafiq was charged under several laws, including the Indian Penal Code, the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and the Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Act, 2022. He sought bail after a trial court denied it, but the High Court also refused his request.

The case saw Advocate Mahantesh S Hiremath representing Rafiq, Advocate Praveena Y Devareddiyavara representing the State government, and Advocate SR Hegde representing the woman.

The court’s decision reflects its commitment to addressing serious crimes like forced conversions and protecting the rights of underprivileged individuals.