Indian court restores converted Muslim girl’s marriage

Ahmad Adil

NEW DELHI: India’s top court on Thursday overturned a decision of the Kerala High Court which had annulled the marriage of Hadiya, a Kerala-based girl who converted to Islam and married a Muslim man.

A bench, led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, allowed Hadiya to live with her husband, saying: “The High court should not have annulled the marriage.”

In 2016, KM Asokan, H-adiya’s father, had filed a plea in the Kerala High Court, all-eging that her daughter’s m-arriage was a form of recruitment by Daesh and she was forced to convert to Islam and marry a Muslim man.

On May 24, 2017, the court had annulled Hadiya’s marriage, ordering Hadiya to return to live with her parents in the Kottayam district of the state. Shafin Jahan, Hadiya’s husband, challenged the annulment of the marriage in the Supreme Court. Hadiya told the court that she faced mental harassment in the past 11 months under the custody of her parents.

The Supreme Court in its verdict said the girl had appeared before the court on Nov. 27 and admitted her marriage. “Hadiya alias Akhila Asokan is at liberty to pursue her future endeavours according to law.”

Hadiya’s father said he will consider to file a review petition in the court. “[I] Will consider filing a review petition,” he was quoted as saying by a local daily The Indian Express. In November 2017, the Supreme Court had also ordered the college, where Hadiya used to study, re-admit her to complete her homoeopathic course which was stopped. Hadiya was provided hostel facility as well. (AA)