I'm Muslim, want to live with husband, Hadiya tells SC

Kerala woman Akhila Asokan, alias Hadiya who is in the midst of a 'love jihad' controversy, has told the Supreme Court that she is a Muslim now and wants to live with her husband Shafin Jahan -- with whom her marriage was annulled by the Kerala High Court.

In an affidavit before the top court, Hadiya said after converting to Islam "I am a Muslim and I want to continue to live as a Muslim".

"I want to continue to live as wife of my beloved husband Shafin Jahan and I embraced Islam and married him on my own free will."

Seeking the restoration of her liberty as she has been under confinement and continues to be under police surveillance, Hadiya urged the court to appoint Jahan as her guardian and asked that they be allowed to live together as husband and wife.

She also sought the setting side of the Kerala High Court order of May 24, 2017, annulling her marriage.

The matter is coming up for hearing on Thursday.

Claiming that her father Asokan K.M. is under the influence of "certain section" of people, Hadiya said that it was these people who "played and are still playing behind my father".

All those errant personnel, both official and non-official, who subjected or caused to subject me to the "horrendous torture and torments" are liable to be brought to justice, she said.

"The baseless and malicious propaganda being made by the investigating agency and by the evil forces behind my father that I am mentally not sound, that I have connection with the IS and the media trial on these allegations would detrimentally affect my future and career as a doctor, causing irreparable heavy injuries and loss to me," she said in her affidavit.

The top court had on January 23 impleaded Hadiya as a party to the case being heard by it.

The court had told the NIA, which is investigating the matter, to continue with its probe into any criminality in the marriage, but not to intrude into it.

The top court by its November 27, 2017 order had set Hadiya free from the custody of her parents and directed that she be allowed to complete her studies at a Salem homeopathy college.

--IANS

pk/him/vd