Maharashtra: 3, including US national, booked in Bhiwandi for practising banned religious activities, illegal conversion

MUMBAI: The Thane Rural police have booked three individuals, including an American national, for allegedly practising banned religious activities and conducting illegal conversions in Bhiwandi, Maharashtra.

The accused, identified as Sainath Sarape, James Watson, and Manoj Kolha, were arrested and charged under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Foreign Nationals Act.

Thane Rural SP D S Swamy said, “An offence has been registered, which includes three accused. One of them is a foreign national… After the police custody ended, the main court sent him to judicial custody”. The police investigation revealed that the group had been operating in the area for some time, misleading villagers under the guise of religious gatherings and prayers.

58-year-old US national James Watson, a former #US military officer, has been arrested in Bhiwandi, #Maharashtra (Business Visa), for running an illegal religious conversion racket under the guise of curing illnesses. Authorities suspect possible #CIA links as investigations… pic.twitter.com/KWlCE5g0sE

— IDU (@defencealerts) October 6, 2025

Earlier, Priyank Kanoongo, a member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), raised concerns about Hindu children being enrolled in government-funded madrasas in Morena and Shivpuri districts of Madhya Pradesh.

According to Kanoongo, around 500 Hindu children are allegedly being taught the Quran and other Islamic studies, sparking allegations of a conspiracy to convert them to Islam.

#WATCH | Maharashtra | On three persons booked in Bhiwandi for practising religious activities and illegal conversions, SP Thane Rural DS Swamy said, “An offence has been registered, which includes three accused. One of them is a foreign national… After the police custody… https://t.co/saRkAwIDUt pic.twitter.com/yqFQ1D5WVO

— ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2025

“We received complaints about around 500 Hindu children enrolled in government-funded madrasas in Morena and Shivpuri, MP… The complainant alleges a conspiracy to convert Hindu children to Islam by teaching them the Quran and related topics. We sent this complaint to the Madhya Pradesh government for investigation,” Kanoongo said.

“Our main concern: Hindu children should not be in madrasas. Even if Muslim children attend madrasas, they should also go to school for their fundamental education… Therefore, it is essential to clearly understand that madrasas are not places where children are educated. Even if there are Muslim children in the madrasa, they should be enrolled in school while continuing their madrasa education”, said Kanoongo earlier. (ANI)