KOCHI: The Kerala State Women’s Commission (KSWC) on Sunday said it would move the Supreme Court for permission to file a fact-finding report in the controversial Hadiya case. The issue involved Akhila, a Hindu girl, embracing Islam to marry Shafin Jahan last year and the Kerala High Court subsequently annulling the marriage after her parents filed a petition.
“The decision to move the apex court comes in the wake of complaints that her rights are being violated after she was confined to her home at TV Puram in Vaikom in Kottayam. We’ve received an expert legal opinion,” KSWC Chairperson M C Josephine told reporters here.
The Supreme Court had ordered an NIA probe into the allegations of ‘love jihad’ in Kerala.
Currently, 24-year-old Hadiya aka Akhila is under detention at her family home, on the orders of the High Court, after her father objected to her marriage to Shafin.
“Besides visiting the woman, her father and mother, the Commission wants to take stock of the situation prevailing in the house. We’ll then submit a report before the court,” said Josephine.
Earlier, a delegation comprising people from various sections of society called on Josephine and submitted a memorandum asking her to intervene in the case.
Rubbishing allegations that the KSWC was acting as per the Sangh Parivar agenda on the issue, Josephine said, “The Commission always takes a pro-woman stand. These smear social media campaigns will create a negative impact on society. Hence, people shouldn’t encourage such efforts.”
Earlier, women activists belonging to Facebook collective ‘Feminist Reading Group’ had alleged Akhila aka Hadiya was being physically and mentally tortured at her home.
Her contacts with the outside world have been severed and she is not allowed to meet anyone. Police personnel have been deployed at her house to provide protection.Hadiya’s father got custidy of her daughter after he informed the court her marriage was a case of ‘love jihad’.