"We have arrested them under section 295 A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of IPC and (section) 3/4 of Religious Conversion Act," said Kotar police station In-charge, Mahendra Jagat.
The trio was produced before a local court which sent them to judicial custody after rejecting their bail applications.
They have been identified as A B Anthony, the priest attached to Aber Church under Kotar police station area, and his women assistants P Anthony and Prabha Anthony.
"I was in touch with the priest A B Anthony for quite some time and he had offered me and my two friends job at the church and money. Later, he forced me to embrace Christianity," Gupta alleged.
Gupta said he got angry as the priest started "abusing" the country.
Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Backward Class Commission member, Laxmi Yadav said, "Such incidents are on the rise in the region and police should take tough stand in such issues".
Police had said that the couple did not inform them about their conversion which is mandatory under law.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
