Overview
- Father Sudheer of the CSI South Kerala Diocese, his wife Jasmine, and others received conditional bail from a Maharashtra court on December 31.
- Police registered an FIR under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita section 299 after a complaint by Bajrang Dal activists at a gathering in Shinkori village, Amravati.
- The accused say no conversions occurred, describing the event as a private birthday celebration combined with Christmas prayers.
- Kerala’s chief minister, opposition leaders, and CSI officials condemned the arrests as a violation of religious freedom and mobilized legal support.
- Reports differ on the total number arrested and note prior threats to the priest, while the case remains open under BNS provisions.