SC grants bail to Muslim man arrested for interfaith marriage in Uttarakhand

The Supreme Court of India has granted bail to a Muslim man who was arrested by the Uttarakhand Police in December 2024 under the state’s anti-conversion law after he married a Hindu woman.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India has granted bail to a Muslim man who was arrested by the Uttarakhand Police in December 2024 under the state’s anti-conversion law after he married a Hindu woman.

Granting bail to Aman Siddiqui, the Supreme Court held that the state cannot have any objection to the man’s interfaith marriage as the couple married “as per the wishes to their respective parents”.

“State cannot have any objection to the appellant and his wife residing together inasmuch as they have been married as per the wishes to their respective parents and families,” a SC bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma said in a judgment on May 19, 2025.

The SC relief to Aman Siddiqui booked under the Uttarakhand “Freedom of Religion Act” came after he spent six months in jail for marrying a Hindu woman in a ceremony arranged by the family members of both the sides.

“The families arranged the marriage of the appellant with the lady without any force. However, soon after the marriage, certain persons and organizations started raising objection to the marriage”, Siddiqui’s counsel submitted in the Supreme Court.

Siddiqui had moved the Supreme Court after his petition challenging the case against him was rejected by the Uttarakhand High Court.

Why the SC Judgment is important?

The SC Judgment is significant as several BJP ruled states have passed anti-conversion law namely “Freedom of Religion Act” using which the Police is taking legal action against Muslims marrying Hindu girls.

Such couples are also harassed and intimidated, sometimes assaulted, by right wing extremist groups. In total contrast to this, the Hindu men found marrying Muslim girls are hailed and praised, and projected as “role model for others”.

The Supreme Court, however, made it clear that states do not have any role to play in interfaith marriages between two adults.

The apex court also allowed Siddiqui to live with his Hindu wife.

"We observe that the respondent – State cannot have any objection to the appellant and his wife residing together in as much as they have been married as per the wishes to their respective parents and families”, the apex court said.

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