Shooter Tara Shahdeo's husband gets life imprisonment, mother-in-law sentenced for 10 years in forced conversion, harassment case

National shooter Tara Shahdeo had accused her husband and mother-in-law of pressurising her to convert her religion. She approached the High Court and sought a CBI inquiry into the matter. The case was handed over to CBI eight years back.

Ranchi:A special CBI court has ordered life imprisonment to Raqibul alias Ranjit Kohli, husband of national shooter Tara Shahdeo and 10 years imprisonment to his mother, Kausar Rani in connection to an eight-year-old case of forced conversion and harassment. Also, the then registrar of High Court, Mustaque Ahmed has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment.

The three were found guilty by the court on September 30 but the verdict was reserved for today. Following the court's verdict, Tara thanked the court and CBI. She said that the verdict assures that whoever is wronged will get justice. "The reason as to why I moved court is that I wanted no other woman to undergo my suffering," she said.

On the orders of Jharkhand High Court, CBI took over the Tara Shahdeo case in 2015. On May 12, 2017, CBI filed a chargesheet against the trio in which Tara Shahdeo alleged that her husband and in-laws pressurised her to convert her religion. Tara also accused her husband of sexual and dowry harassment. The three were found guilty under sections 120B, 376(2) (conspiracy to repeatedly rape the same woman), 298 (hurting religious sentiments) and 496 (marriage by force or by fraudulent means) of the IPC.

Tara Shahdeo and Ranjit Kohli got married in 2014. After the marriage, Tara underwent repeated incidents of assault and harassment. Finally, she lodged an FIR in the Kotwali police station of Ranchi in this regard. After the matter came to light, Ranjit was arrested from Delhi by Ranchi Police. During the investigation, the name of the then sub registrar Mushtaq Ahmed surfaced.

Later, Tara approached the High Court and demanded a CBI investigation into the matter. On the orders of Jharkhand High Court, CBI took over the case in 2015.