Above: Shafin Jahan (left) and wife Hadia. Image sourced from Jahan’s Facebook page

A special leave petition has been filed in the Supreme Court, challenging the Kerala High Court’s judgment in the Akhila/Hadiya Case—India Legal had published a detailed report on this—which nullified the marriage of an adult woman converted to Islam with a Muslim man, in a habeas corpus petition filed by her father.

The bench of Chief Justice JS Khehar and Justice DY Chandrachud on Friday (August 4) asked: “How much time do you need to place all the material on record?”

The respondent’s counsel Madhvi Diwan (representing the girl’s father KM Ashokan) said: “We want one week. But please suspend judgment.”

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioner, informed: “She converted to Islam in 2013. She married in 2016 through a marriage portal.”

Senior advocate Indira Jaising, appearing for the petitioners, commented on Diwan’s observation: “Do you even know the meaning of radicalization?”

Diwan replied: “You don’t worry about that.”

The court gave respondent a week’s time to respond. It also directed the NIA to place relevant documents on record.

The next date of hearing is August 16.

—India Legal Bureau