A Maharashtra court has granted conditional bail to Father Sudheer from the CSI South Kerala Diocese and seven others arrested in Nagpur over allegations of forced religious conversion. The arrests followed complaints by Bajrang Dal activists during a Christmas prayer meeting in Shinkori village, Amravati district. Tensions rose as reports emerged that Father Sudheer and his wife had faced threats from Bajrang Dal members in the past.
Jasmine, Father Sudheer’s wife, clarified that no conversions took place and that the group had attended a birthday celebration and Christmas prayers at a friend’s residence during the incident. The arrests led V.D. Satheesan, Leader of the Opposition in Kerala, to write to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the Leader of the Opposition, expressing strong protest and seeking immediate intervention.
Father Sudheer, a native of Amaravila in Thiruvananthapuram, has been serving in Maharashtra for five years. Satheesan emphasized that arresting individuals for a peaceful prayer meeting violates fundamental rights, particularly the freedom to profess and practice religion. The CSI Church leadership has expressed concern over attacks on Christians and sent a delegation to Nagpur to offer legal assistance.
Father Sudheer and his team, who have been working in Amravati for five years, now face a challenging situation as the case progresses. However, the court’s decision to grant bail has brought some relief to the situation.
