Victim attacked multiple times; Police file case against the victim instead of taking action against culprits
Team Clarion
BHOPAL — A shocking incident unfolded at the district court in Bhopal when a young man, Syed Khan, was brutally assaulted multiple times while attempting to register his marriage under the Special Marriage Act. Khan, who came to the court with his fiancée, was first attacked in the court canteen, followed by further assaults outside the police post and even inside a police vehicle. Despite the disturbing nature of the attack, the police have shockingly registered a case against the victim.
Video footage clearly shows Khan being punched and kicked in broad daylight by a group of assailants. In the presence of a crowd, no one intervened to stop the violence. Police officers were also on the scene, yet they did nothing to halt the attack. In a further act of humiliation, Khan was reportedly forced to perform sit-ups as punishment, and the police filed a case against him instead.
Khan, in an emotional statement, alleged that the lawyer who had been hired to assist with the marriage, Advocate Akshay Karan, had not only failed to conduct the ceremony but had also been complicit in the attack. “We came to the court for marriage under the Special Marriage Act. The lawyer asked for a copy of our Aadhaar cards, took our signatures, and charged Rs. 35,000. But before the marriage could be registered, other people arrived and started attacking me. They accused me of forced conversion and ‘Love Jihad,’ even though my fiancée denied any such thing. The lawyer was the one who had called them. My fiancée had contacted the lawyer herself, who told us the marriage would cost around Rs. 50,000-60,000. I paid Rs. 40,000, but we neither got married nor got our money back. The lawyers even snatched my phone and assaulted me. I demand justice,” Khan said.
In response to these serious allegations, Advocate Akshay Karan denied taking any money from the couple and rejected any involvement with the attackers. “I did not take any money from them. They came to inquire about court marriage. Both claimed to be Hindus, but when I checked their documents, I refused to proceed. Why would I call any right-wing group? Speaking as a lawyer, what happened in court was right. The assault is secondary; such incidents will always attract the attention of Hindu organisations, which are very active and well-informed,” Karan stated.
Meanwhile, the police have filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Khan based on a complaint from the woman involved, despite clear evidence of the assault. In front of the cameras, the woman confirmed that she had come willingly for the marriage. The police, however, have treated the incident as a non-cognizable offense, effectively reducing it to a mere paper record.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Akshay Chaudhary provided the official police version of events, saying, “The police received information from the court about the assault. Both parties were called to the station. The woman alleged that the man pressured her to convert, and based on her complaint, an FIR was registered under the Religious Freedom Act, Sections 3 and 5. As for the assault in court, it has been classified as a non-cognizable offense.”
The actions of both the police and the court have raised significant concerns regarding the protection of individuals’ rights under the Indian Constitution. Article 25 of the Constitution guarantees every individual the right to religious freedom, while the Special Marriage Act, 1954, allows people from different religions to marry without the requirement of conversion. The handling of this case has sparked debate over the application of the law and the protection of basic rights.