Kerala tells SC: No need for NIA to probe 'love jihad' case

The Kerala government on Saturday told the Supreme Court that the state police is effectively investigating the alleged 'love jihad' case of the state and hence there is no need for the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to probe it.

In an affidavit, the state government informed the Supreme Court that the state police is competent enough to investigate such crimes.

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

Earlier, a group of people had submitted a petition to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and demanded a probe into the alleged unlawful incarceration of Hadiya, the 24-year-old Vaikom native, who had converted to Islam after marriage.

Four months ago, the Kerala High Court sent Hadiya with her parents K.M. Asokan and Ponnamma after annulling her marriage with Shafin Jahan.

The case is under consideration of the Supreme Court now, which had ordered the NIA investigation into it.

Hadiaya's husband, Shafin Jahan on September 16 filed a plea in the Supreme Court and requested to call off the NIA probe, alleging that the investigation agency "is not being fair".

Earlier in August, in compliance with the orders of the top court, the case was re-registered by the NIA and an investigation was taken up.