A 31-year-old man from Shamli, Uttar Pradesh, told the Allahabad High Court on Wednesday that he had embraced Islam of his own free will and wished to live with his wife, Chandni Qureshi. Following his statement, the court directed Shamli Police not to interfere with him or the couple’s decision.
Ayush Malik was produced before the court after allegations that he had been illegally detained by his father following his conversion and marriage. The court reprimanded authorities over the circumstances of his detention and ordered that his personal liberty be protected.
“No One Forced Me,” Malik Tells Court
Appearing before the bench, Malik reaffirmed that his decision to accept Islam was voluntary and free of any coercion. He also told the court he wished to continue living with Chandni Qureshi as her husband.
His statement came in response to a habeas corpus petition filed by his friend, Sultan, seeking his production before the court. The petition alleged that Malik had been kept in his father’s custody, allegedly with state assistance, after he converted and married Chandni against his father’s wishes.
How the Case Reached the Court
On September 9, Justice Sandeep Jain had directed Uttar Pradesh authorities and Malik’s father, Devraj Singh Malik, to produce him in court by September 16, calling the allegations of illegal detention and state involvement “serious in nature.”
According to the petition, Malik’s father filed an FIR against Chandni and her relatives at Shamli police station on June 6, 2026, invoking the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021, along with sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The petitioners called the FIR “false and motivated,” arguing it was being used to deprive Malik of his personal liberty.
Court Backs Malik’s Choice, Orders No Interference
After hearing Malik confirm his position directly, the High Court directed police not to interfere with his decision to follow Islam or with his marriage. The court’s earlier order had already noted that the material before it prima facie supported the claim of a voluntary conversion and marriage, while stressing it had not made a final finding on the broader allegations.
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