Ashish Gupta's case came to light when he began offering prayers in a local mosque wearing traditional Muslim attire.
Team Clarion
MIRPUR – A middle ranked government official in Uttar Pradesh is embroiled in a controversy after being accused of converting to Islam in order to marry a Muslim girl.
The action of Naib Tehsildar Ashish Gupta, stationed in Modaba Tehsil of Hamirpur district, has sparked a legal battle, with his wife filing a complaint with the police alleging forced conversion and a subsequent second marriage.
Gupta’s alleged conversion came to light when he began offering prayers in a local mosque wearing traditional Muslim attire. The mosque’s imam, suspicious of an unfamiliar face, questioned Gupta about his identity. Gupta, under the alias Muhammad Yusuf, concealed his true identity and claimed to be the local Naib Tehsildar. The incident raised concerns and was immediately reported to senior officials, prompting a police investigation, media reports said on Wednesday.
A case has been registered against Gupta and six others, including the mosque’s imam.
The complaint, filed by Gupta’s wife Aarti, alleges immoral conduct and an illicit marriage with a Muslim woman. Authorities, including Tehsildar Balrampur Gupta and the Superintendent of Police (SP) Dr. Dekha Sharma, are actively investigating the matter.
Aarti claims that her husband had married a Muslim woman while they were still in the wedlock and had two children. The SP has directed the Kotwali police to file a report against Rukhsar, the Muslim woman involved, Imam Molvi Mushtaq, Ashish Gupta and six others. Two individuals, Molly and Manna, have been taken into custody for questioning.
The controversy highlights the complex legal and social issues surrounding interfaith marriages and allegations of forced conversions in the region.
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Photo: The police officer is seen reading Namaz inside the mosque. (Source: Aaj Tak)
