The consent of 24-year-old Hadiya Shafin as an adult is “prime”, the Supreme Court said on Monday as it heard the “love jihad” case from Kerala that is being investigated by the National Investigation Agency.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra also asked Hadiya’s father to produce her on November 27, the next date of hearing in the case, and said it will interact with her in an open hearing at 3pm.
The Centre, on its part, said parental authority can be invoked in cases where someone is manipulated or indoctrinated.
The case is about 24-year-old homeopathic doctor Hadiya Shafin, born Akhila Ashokan, who married Shafin Jahan without her family’s consent last December. She was allegedly recruited by the Islamic State terrorist group and her husband was only a stooge.
Her father, retired military man Ashokan KM, challenged the wedding in the high court and got the relationship annulled.
While deposing before the Kerala high court in May, Ashokan said the forces that played a key role in the alleged indoctrination and conversion of his daughter were planning to send her to the war-torn Syria as a human bomb for the terror group Islamic State. The parents of some of the missing persons, who are suspected to have joined the IS, had also lauded the SC decision and said they would come forward to help the father.
During the previous case hearing in Supreme Justice Misra had questioned the Kerala high court order.
{{/usCountry}}During the previous case hearing in Supreme Justice Misra had questioned the Kerala high court order.
{{/usCountry}}Here are the highlights:
12:43pm: SC says it will interact with the woman in an open court hearing at 3pm on that day: PTI
12:38pm: Supreme Court asks the father to produce Hadiya on November 27, the next date of hearing in the case, reports ANI
11:53am: Centre says parental authority can be invoked in cases where someone is manipulated or indoctrinated
11:48am: Supreme Court observed that the consent of the girl is prime. She is a major: ANI reports