*Lucknow, September 11* – In a landmark verdict, the Lucknow NIA/ATS special court sentenced 12 individuals, including renowned Islamic clerics Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui and Umar Gautam, to life imprisonment in a significant religious conversion case. The sentence was pronounced by Special Judge Vivekanand Sharan Tripathi, marking the culmination of an investigation that has garnered widespread media and public attention.The case centres around Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui, a prominent figure in India’s Islamic community, who heads the Shah Waliullah Trust in Muzaffarnagar and chairs the Global Peace Foundation. Siddiqui, along with three associates, was arrested in September 2021 by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) under accusations of operating a nationwide network that facilitated mass conversions to Islam, allegedly targeting vulnerable individuals for religious conversion.The ATS investigation revealed that Siddiqui’s organization was the recipient of substantial foreign funding, with over ₹57 crore being funneled from trusts based in the United Kingdom and Gulf countries. This foreign financial backing was a key element of the charges, with investigators alleging that it supported Siddiqui’s activities in promoting religious conversions across India.The Uttar Pradesh government, which pursued the case vigorously, accused Siddiqui and his network of orchestrating illegal conversions through inducements and other means, often involving economically disadvantaged communities. The cleric was also charged with spreading communal disharmony and threatening national security.The convicted individuals, including Maulana Umar Gautam, a well-known Islamic preacher, were found guilty of several serious charges under India’s anti-terror laws. According to the court, the activities of the accused were part of a “larger conspiracy” that aimed to disrupt the country’s religious harmony.As the news of the sentencing broke, it prompted strong reactions from various political, religious, and legal circles. Advocates of the convicted individuals have expressed their intention to appeal the decision, calling the charges politically motivated and alleging that the evidence presented was insufficient.