Man, in-laws get into scuffle in Gujarat High Court on inter-religion marriage

Ahmedabad

A Muslim man and his Hindu in-laws broke into a scuffle inside the Gujarat High Court here today as his wife refused to go with her parents who had filed a habeas corpus petition after she married into a different religion.

“Family members of Damini Chavda (19) had a confrontation with Saiyed Irfan Riyazul Husain (21) outside the court room of Justice Mohinder Pal today, when the girl refused to go with her parents in connection with the petition before the High Court,” said Inspector G D Vaishyak of Ellis Bridge police station.

The incident occured when the girl’s parents tried to persuade her near the court room to not go with her husband as he belonged to a different religion. But she remained adamant and refused to talk to her mother and father, said Vaishyak.

Following this, family members of the girl got into a heated argument with the man and also tried to slap him in the court corridor, said Vaishyak.

The police went to the spot and protected the couple from the attack, he said, adding that Damini and Irfan were dropped at their house with full police protection.

Damini, had tied the knot with Irfan in December last year.

However, as her family did not accept their marriage, her father Babu Chavda had filed a habeas corpus plea before the High Court in January to get her custody.

During the trial, she had appeared before the division bench headed by justice Ravi Tripathi and requested him to allow her to stay with her husband as they had signed a marriage agreement under Special Marriage Act.

The High Court bench in January sent her to Women Protection Home and also directed the police officials to not allow her to meet Irfan as their marriage certificate mentioned husband’s name as Akbarali.

“This court is of the opinion Damini Babubhai Chavada, who is under the influence of Irfan is required to be kept out of that for some time and therefore required to be sent to Nari Sarakshan Gruh or Nari Vikas Gruh (protection home for women) till the next date of hearing on January 28,” the order said.

In March, Damini had gone missing from the protection home, to which she was sent by a court order, for about three months, about which a complaint was filed in Ellis Bridge police station of the city.

Yesterday, during the scheduled hearing of the case, the High Court directed Irfan to produce the woman before it, following which, Damini appeared today before the High Court and reiterated that she wanted to go with Irfan, which was allowed today.

The Gujarat High Court today allowed a Hindu woman to go with her Muslim husband after she refused to be persuaded by her parents who objected to the inter-religion marriage.

The order was given by a division bench comprising Justice Mohinder Pal and Justice R D Kothari.

PTI