Above: Shafin Jahan (left) and Hadiya

The inter-religion marriage between Kerala’s Shafin Jahan and Hadiya (formerly a Hindu girl Akhila, who converted to Islam even before her marriage to Jahan) remains hanging in the balance.

When the Kerala High Court annulled their marriage – this happened when Hadiya’s father went to court, saying that his daughter had been forced into the marriage – Jahan had approached the Supreme Court to reinstate the marriage. The top court on August 16 had ordered the NIA to probe the incident and had appointed Justice RV Raveendran, former judge of the Supreme Court, to oversee the probe.

Now Justice Raveendran has declined the request of the top court. He has refused to comment on why he does not wish to be associated with the probe. He has been quoted as saying: “It is a matter between the court and myself.’’

The appointment of Justice Raveendran was made by a top court bench headed by the then Chief Justice JS Khehar, with the other judge being Justice DY Chandrachud. The NIA, committed to the probe, will now have to approach the top court to appoint another overseeing judge. The top court had avoided choosing anybody from Kerala, following the suggestion from Jahan’s lawyer.

—India Legal Bureau