Pune registers first prosecutions under new state law
Pune, Maharashtra — Pune city police last week registered the first two FIRs under the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act, 2026, which came into force on August 1, authorities said. The cases were lodged at Phursungi and Khadak police stations and involve allegations that two men sought to convert others, including a minor, the police reports showed.
The Phursungi police registered the first case on August 5 against a 21-year-old youth from Uttar Pradesh. The FIR alleges that the man, who moved to Pune a few months ago, won the confidence of a minor girl, took her to Karnataka and tried to convert her. In addition to the Freedom of Religion Act, the Phursungi police invoked the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, charging the youth with alleged sexual harassment of the girl, the report said.
The Khadak police registered the second FIR on August 9 against a 22-year-old religious preacher from Manchester who also holds an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card. The complaint, filed by autorickshaw driver Amit Bhosale (31), a resident of Bhawani Peth, alleges the preacher attempted to convert people during a programme at a religious place in Guruwar Peth. The FIR also names the organiser of the programme and 12 trustees of the religious place, the police said.
"We registered the case against the UK citizen, who also holds an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card, after recording the statement of the complainant. He tried to influence people after gathering them at a religious place,"
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone I) Krushikesh Rawale said the police recorded the complainant's statement before lodging the FIR, according to the police account.
- Phursungi FIR (Aug 5): 21-year-old from Uttar Pradesh; alleged attempt to convert a minor; POCSO and Freedom of Religion Act invoked.
- Khadak FIR (Aug 9): 22-year-old UK national/OCI card holder; alleged proselytising at a Guruwar Peth religious programme; organiser and 12 trustees also booked.
Legal steps and court action
The UK national moved the Pune sessions court seeking anticipatory bail, claiming false implication and arguing that the FIR's allegations did not satisfy the ingredients of the offences invoked. Advocates Vijay Thombre and Rupali Thombre filed the pre-arrest bail petition before additional sessions judge AS Gandhi; the hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, according to court records cited in police reports.
The new state law — the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act, 2026 — aims to regulate conversion activities and carries penalties for forced or fraudulent religious conversions. The Act came into effect on August 1 and its early enforcement in Pune shows local authorities are proceeding to use the statute for complaints received at religious sites and in cases involving minors, the police statements indicate.
| Aspect | Phursungi FIR | Khadak FIR |
|---|---|---|
| Date registered | August 5 | August 9 |
| Accused | 21-year-old from Uttar Pradesh | 22-year-old UK national (OCI card holder) |
| Allegation | Attempted conversion of a minor; POCSO charge for sexual harassment | Attempted conversion at a religious programme; organiser and 12 trustees also named |
Local context and implications
Pune is witnessing the first tests of how the Freedom of Religion Act will be applied locally. Police action in both FIRs highlights two recurring faultlines in cases of alleged conversion: protection of minors and public religious activity. Authorities say they are following procedures by recording complainants and lodging FIRs where statements indicate potential offences under the new law.
Court outcomes in the immediate cases will shape local practice. If courts entertain anticipatory bail petitions or quash FIRs, that could set precedents for how strictly the state law is enforced in communal or religious settings across Pune district. Conversely, convictions or sustained prosecutions would demonstrate the law's operational reach.
For now, police and prosecution will gather further evidence and the laboratories of Pune's judicial process will determine whether the allegations meet legal thresholds under the Freedom of Religion Act and related statutes. Local residents and religious institutions in areas such as Guruwar Peth and Bhawani Peth are likely to watch the proceedings closely.
Further details on investigation progress and court orders were not immediately available beyond police and court filings cited in the reports.
