NO NEED FOR NIA PROBE INTO LOVE JIHAD CASE, KERALA TELLS SC

NEW DELHI: The Left Front government in Kerala Saturday told the Supreme Court 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 effectively investigation in the case.

The state’s affidavit in the court said the investigation by the state police had not revealed any offences that might warrant a probe by the NIA, which has been established to deal with terror related crimes across states.

The government had earlier said it had no problem with the NIA investigating the matter.

In the affidavit, the government said it had constituted a special investigation team 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 the SC seeking its permission to meet Hadiya. Its plea will be considered on Monday when the court will next hear the case.

The matter grabbed nationwide attention after Akhila Ashokan, a homeopathy doctor, converted to Islam, took upon a new name, Hadiya, and married a Muslim man, Shefin Jahan, from Kollam in south Kerala.

Disapproving the marriage, her father Ashokan, an ex-serviceman, approached the HC claiming his daughter was indoctrinated and forcibly converted.

In May, the HC annulled the marriage. Three months later, the apex court refused to stay the HC order and asked the NIA to probe the circumstances leading to their marriage. However, the SC bench led by Chief Justice Dipak Misra later took a U-turn, questioning the August 16 order.