New Delhi : The Supreme Court Tuesday granted protection from arrest to Prof Rajendra Bihari Lal, vice chancellor (VC) of Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, formerly known as Allahabad Agriculture University, in Uttar Pradesh, in a case connected with rape and religious conversion.
A vacation bench comprising justices Aniruddha Bose and K V Vishwanathan examined a plea challenging the Allahabad High Court's order directing Lal to surrender on December 20, 2023 in the case.
Senior advocate Siddharth Dave, representing the petitioner, contended before the bench that the high court passed the order on December 11, 2023 which was uploaded on December 14, 2023 directing him to surrender. The high court passed the order in a case lodged by a woman employee, who worked in the university till year 2022 before her dismissal, alleging forced conversion in year 2005 and rape afterwards.
The apex court was informed that the anti-conversion law is also in 2021.
The apex court, after hearing submissions from the counsel, issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and the complainant. The apex court also stayed the high court's order till January 12, 2024 or until further orders whichever is earlier.
The apex court said, “Until that day, there shall be an interim order protecting the petitioner from arrest in the FIR lodged on November 4, 2023 in district Hamirpur”.
The apex court has scheduled the matter for further hearing on January 3, 2024 before the appropriate bench subject to the order by the Chief Justice of India.
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