Nainital, Police have arrested Mohammad Yunus alias ‘MD’, the prime accused in an alleged forced religious conversion case in Bhimtal, following a multi-day search operation in the district, officials said on Friday.
The accused was produced before a local court, which remanded him to 14-day judicial custody.
According to police, Yunus was booked on April 29 at Mallital police station under the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act, 2018, and various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita .
A joint team comprising Bhimtal police, a Special Investigation Team , and the Special Operation Group apprehended the accused late Thursday night from Nainital after conducting raids at several suspected hideouts.
According to the First Information Report filed based on a complaint lodged by one of the victims, Yunus, a resident of Kunatal in Bhimtal, allegedly befriended women by concealing his identity and using pseudonyms.
He allegedly gained the complainant’s trust through shared interests in photography, video shoots, trekking, and music. The complainant alleged that the accused induced her to spend approximately ₹17 lakh on cameras, lenses, and mobile phones. After his true identity was revealed, he pressured her to convert her religion under the pretext of marriage.
The police said similar allegations from other women surfaced during the investigation.
Earlier, Nainital SSP Manjunath TC had constituted an SIT to probe the matter.
The accused had moved the High Court seeking relief, but failed to secure any protection from arrest.
Last week, local traders and residents in Bhimtal held protests demanding his immediate arrest.
“Illegal conversion activities will not be tolerated in the district. We are maintaining a zero-tolerance policy, and strict action will be taken against such offenders,” SSP Manjunath TC said.
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