Kerala love jihad case: Husband moves SC to freeze NIA probe

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A Muslim man from Kerala, whose marriage to a converted Hindu woman triggered a national controversy, moved the Supreme Court on Saturday to freeze a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into his wedding and alleged his wife was being tortured by her family.

In his petition, Shafin Jahan said his wife Hadiya, earlier known as Akhila, is under physical and mental attack by her family and that even activists were barred from meeting her. He also alleged the probe was proceeding without the supervision of a retired judge, as stipulated by the top court.

“She is confined to her room and not allowed to meet anyone. Some of the Sangh Parivar outfits are also trying to threaten her,” Jahan told HT. He also asked the apex court to listen to Hadiya before any decision.

The case grabbed national spotlight last year after Akhila Ashokan, a homeopathy doctor, converted to Islam, took the name Hadiya and married Jahan last December. But her father, an ex-serviceman, approached the Kerala high court, saying his daughter was indoctrinated and forcibly converted. He also claimed she would be sent to Afghanistan or Syria, akin to 21 people missing from Kerala who are suspected to have joined the Islamic State.

In May, the HC annulled their marriage and in August, the SC refused to stay the HC order and asked the NIA to probe the wedding. But weeks later, justice T K Ravendran who was assigned to oversee the probe withdrew, citing personal reasons. “There are many attempts to brand me as a terrorist. Many such unknown cases will come up in coming days to tarnish me,” Jahan told HT.