Interaction with Hadiya should not be held in open court: Father’s new demand

Asokan K M, an ex army man from Kerala’s Kottayam district, who reportedly tortured daughter Akhila alias Hadiya for converting to Islam and marrying a Muslim man, has now moved the Supreme Court, urging that the interaction with his daughter be held in-camera (privately) and not in the open court.

The application in this regard was filed after a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra had on October 30 directed that the woman be produced before it on November 27 for an interaction in open court.

Asokan, who had created the rumour of ‘love jihad’ to convince the Kerala high court to annul his daughter’s marriage with her husband earlier this year, now referred to the “communally sensitive nature of the case” and sought in-camera interaction on some grounds including that so called radical elements could jeopardise the safety and privacy of his daughter and the family.

The top court had on August 16 said it would speak to the woman in-camera before taking a final decision on the matter. It has later modified the order saying "We may further add that this court shall speak to her not in camera but in open court."

Asokan, in his application, claimed that since the matter "involves sensitive issues involving the security and physical safety of the parties and communally sensitive issues in the backdrop of the involvement of radical/extremist elements, it is genuinely believed that in-camera interaction is necessary in the interest of the safety and privacy of respondent number one and his family."

The plea has also referred to the apex court's judgement declaring right to privacy as a fundamental right and urged the top court to consider the impact of privacy of not only the woman, but also her family.

"Further, given the extent of religious indoctrination by extremist elements, wherein the respondent number one's daughter is already spewing narratives of hell and the torment meted out to sinners, she may be subject to undue pressure which could be an obstacle to truth seeking and dispensation of justice," it said.

Hadiya, who is forced to stay with her father against her will, recently in a video had revealed the brutality of her father. “My father hits and kicks me when I walk… He may murder me anytime…You need to get me out...” the helpless Hadya said in the video.

Asokan is also not allowing any of Hadiya’s friends to meet her. In last few months, many Snagh Parivar activists have visited their house and tried to convince her to convert back to Hinduism, but in vain.
Also Read: He is torturing me; he will kill me: Hadiya reveals father’s cruelty