The Bombay High Court has requested a formal response from Thane police before making a decision on the allegations of unlawful arrest raised by American businessman James Leonard Watson. Watson was detained by the police on October 3, 2025, on accusations related to religious conversion. However, the court mentioned that Watson could proceed with his bail application, which has been submitted in the trial court.
A bench consisting of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam A Ankhad has issued a notice to the Thane police, directing them to address the claims that Watson was not informed of the reasons for his arrest at the time of being taken into custody.
The court’s order stated, “The bail application filed on behalf of the petitioner is pending before the trial court. The bail application should be adjudicated based on its own merits, irrespective of this writ petition challenging the petitioner’s arrest as unlawful.” The court is set to hear Watson’s plea contesting the arrest on November 11.
According to the petition, Watson was apprehended by the police around 11:30 am on October 3 and was brought to the Bhiwandi Taluka Police Station. Nonetheless, the First Information Report (FIR) was lodged only at 12:27 am on October 4, and he was officially arrested at 2:01 am on the same day, identified as Accused No 2.
The petition alleged that Watson was not informed of the grounds for his arrest, and neither he nor his legal counsel received a copy of the FIR until October 6. The court acknowledged this point, stating, “This could be in your favor, but a response is required,” before issuing notice to the police.
Watson remains in judicial custody until October 17, with his bail plea set for a hearing in the trial court. He was detained under various laws, including the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and Other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices Act, the Juvenile Justice Act, and the Immigration and Foreigners Act. The upcoming Diwali court recess, lasting two weeks, is anticipated to cause delays in the legal proceedings, with only vacation benches operating during this period.
Watson, represented by his wife Tracey Garrett Watson, approached the high court seeking temporary release. As per the petition, Watson was in India on a business visa (B-2) and resides in Thane with his wife. On October 3, he was invited by members of the Christian community in the Bhiwandi region to their home for a prayer gathering.
The petition alleged that, in pursuit of his political aspirations, the complainant, who is not a resident of the Bhiwandi village, intruded on private property and forcibly took Watson away. The accusation stated that the preachers criticized Hinduism, asserted the exclusivity of the Christian God, and were allegedly engaged in conversion activities.
Furthermore, the Passport Act was invoked during the proceedings, as Watson’s passport was undergoing renewal at the US Consulate General during the incident.