Ranchi: In a significant development, a special CBI court in Ranchi pronounced the sentencing for the Tara Shahdeo forced religious conversion case. Raqibul, also known as Ranjit Kohli, was sentenced to life imprisonment, while his mother, Kausar Rani, received a ten-year jail term in connection with the case. Furthermore, the special CBI court handed down a 15-year imprisonment to Mustaque Ahmed, a former High Court registrar accused of conspiracy, and imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on each of the convicts.
National Shooter Tara Shahdeo forced conversion case | CBI court pronounces quantum of punishment for the convicted Raqibul aka Ranjit Kohli, sentences him to life imprisonment.
His mother Kaushar Rani has been pronounced ten years imprisonment. The then registrar of the High…
— ANI (@ANI) October 5, 2023
Tara Shahdeo, a national shooter at the forefront of this case, expressed gratitude for the court’s decision. She emphasized that this justice was not only for her but a step towards ensuring that such actions would not go unpunished, instilling confidence in every daughter across the nation. Tara’s struggle began as a case of domestic violence but evolved into a fight to prevent similar injustices against other girls. She hailed the judgment for encouraging people to openly address and combat such issues.
#WATCH | Ranchi, Jharkhand: National Shooter Tara Shahdeo says, “I want to thank the court and the CBI who served me justice. This justice is not just for me, every daughter in the country will gain trust that whoever does this to them will be punished. People who do this would… pic.twitter.com/zBpgxOWocZ
— ANI (@ANI) October 5, 2023
CBI Probe Into Tara Shahdeo Case
The CBI initiated proceedings in the Tara Shahdeo case in 2017, following her allegations of pressure to convert her religion against her husband and in-laws. Judge PK Sharma of the special CBI court delivered the sentencing nearly nine years after Tara Shahdeo, a national shooter, initially reported the suspected ‘love jihad’ incident.
The accused, including Ranjit Kohli alias Raqibul Hasan, Mushtaq Ahmed, and Kaushal Rani, were found guilty of assaulting Tara Shahdeo and conspiring to force her religious conversion. Their actions were proven as part of a premeditated conspiracy through the court’s recent decision.
Following their conviction on September 30, the court took the convicts into judicial custody, sending them to Birsa Munda Central Jail Hotwar. Ranjit Singh Kohli, also known as Raqibul Hasan, was found guilty of multiple charges, including the repeated rape of Tara Shahdeo. Mushtaq Ahmed and Kaushal Rani were convicted for conspiring to repeatedly rape a woman and others.
During the hearing, CBI’s senior public prosecutor, Priyanshu Singh, pushed for the harshest possible punishment, while the defence sought leniency in sentencing.
Fraudulent Marriage, Domestic Violence & Pressure For Religious Conversion
The incident traces back to the fraudulent marriage between Ranjit Kohli and Tara Shahdeo on July 7, 2014. Post-marriage, Tara faced assault and harassment, culminating in the registration of an FIR at Hindpiri police station. The court convicted the accused under various sections, including criminal conspiracy, conspiracy to repeatedly rape the same woman, hurting religious sentiments, assault, and coercion.
Tara, a professional shooter, married Ranjit Kumar Kohli in 2014, a man with influential connections. However, Tara later revealed the true identity of her husband, leading to a case that was initially deemed a ‘Love Jihad’ incident.
Apart from Raqibul alias Kohli, two others were accused in the case -Mushtaq Ahmed, a senior officer in the Jharkhand High Court, and Kohli’s mother, Kaushal Rani. Ahmed was implicated for aiding Raqibul in changing his identity to Kohli.
The accused allegedly subjected Tara to mental and physical torture, pressuring her to convert to Islam and comply with certain religious practices. Tara’s brave decision to seek help ultimately exposed the horrendous ordeal she endured, paving the way for justice to be served.
