The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday tabled an amended anti-conversion bill that seeks to increase the jail terms and fine amount and includes in its purview foreign funding.

The Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion (Amendment) Bill provides for a maximum punishment of life imprisonment. It empowers courts to impose fines.

The previous law provided for jail terms between one and five years for forcible or deceitful conversions, which has been increased to three to 10 years. The punishment for illegal mass religious conversion is seven to 14 years of jail plus a fine of Rs 1 lakh. It was three to 10 years under the previous law in addition to a fine Rs 50,000.

In case of foreign funding for illegal religious conversion, the punishment is five to 14 years' imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1 lakh.

Those found guilty of abducting a woman for illegal conversion will be sentenced to 20 years in jail, extendable to a life term.

Earlier, the police could take action only on the complaint of a family member of the victim, but now anybody can lodge a written complaint.