‘No need for NIA probe in Kerala love jihad case’
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : The Left Front government in Kerala on Saturday told the Supreme Court that there is no need for the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to probe the alleged forced conversion of a Hindu woman to Islam and her marriage to a Muslim man.
The government said its police was conducting an effective investigation in the case. The state’s affidavit in court said the probe by state police had not revealed any offences that might warrant a probe by NIA, which has been established to deal with terror-related crimes. The government earlier said it had no problem with the NIA probe.
In the affidavit, the government said it had constituted a special investigation team (SIT) and a comprehensive probe was on into various aspects of the case.
Two weeks ago, Shefin Jahan had filed a fresh plea questioning the NIA probe. Similarly, the state women commission also moved SC seeking its permission to meet Hadiya. Its plea will be considered on Monday when the court next hears the case.
The matter came to attention after Akhila Ashokan, a homeopathy doctor, converted to Islam, took a new name, Hadiya, and married a Muslim man, Shefin, from Kollam in south Kerala.
Disapproving the marriage, her father Ashokan, an ex-serviceman, approached the HC and claimed his daughter was indoctrinated and forcibly converted.
In May, the HC annulled the marriage. Three months later, the SC refused to stay the order and asked NIA to probe.