New Delhi, Mar 5 (IANS): The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday apprised the Supreme Court that cleric Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui is attempting to delay the trial in a mass religious conversion case.

Siddiqui has been charged by the state Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) for allegedly running the biggest conversion syndicate across the country.

A bench presided over by Justice Aniruddha Bose was told by Additional Advocate General (AAG) Garima Prashad that Siddiqui and the other accused persons in the case are trying to delay the trial court proceedings.

Refuting the allegations, the counsel appearing for Siddiqui said that in the last one year, 11 witnesses have already been examined during the trial.

AAG Prashad requested the bench to place on record the additional facts, including the cancellation of bail of three accused.

The bench, also comprising Justice Sanjay Kumar, allowed the state government to file a rejoinder affidavit in the matter by March 19.

The matter will be heard next on April 2.

The Uttar Pradesh government has filed a special leave petition before the Supreme Court seeking cancellation of bail granted to cleric Siddiqui by the Allahabad High Court.

In April last year, a division bench of Justices Attaur Rahman Masoodi and Saroj Yadav of the high court had directed Siddiqui’s release on bail. Siddiqui was arrested from Meerut on charges of converting over 100 people.

The high court granted him bail on the grounds of parity as one of the co-accused was granted bail by the Supreme Court.