NEW DELHI, Feb. 3 -- The Supreme Court on January 20 granted bail to Muslim Cleric Syed Shad Kazmi, arrested 11 months ago under the draconian Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act 2021. The Court said that judges cannot deny bail to any accused on their whims and fancies, saying that conversion is very serious. Instead, judges should show courage to grant bail.

A bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan said the matter should not have reached the Supreme Court. "We can understand that the trial court declined bail as trial courts seldom muster the courage of granting bail, be it any offence. However, at least, it was expected of the High Court (Allahabad) to muster the courag...