India

Kerala Christian woman married to Muslim man summoned by HC

[Photo: Twitter/thenewsminute]

Kerala: The Kerala High Court has asked a woman in an interfaith relationship to appear before the court in a habeas corpus petition filed by the woman’s father, The News Minute reported.

As per the report, Joisna Mary Joseph, a Christian woman in Kerala who married a Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) leader Shejin by exchanging garlands, has been asked to appear before a division bench of the Kerala High Court on April 19. A habeas corpus is a type of petition seeking the appearance of a particular person before the court.

Shejin, who is a local leader of the DYFI, the youth wing of the CPI(M) in Kozhikode, exchanged garlands with Joisna on April 9. Shejin is a Muslim and Joisna is a Christian, the report said.

Joisna had arrived from Saudi Arabia a few weeks before, for her engagement with another man. However, she left home and got together with Shejin.

The couple filed their papers to register their wedding under the Special Marriage Act (SMA) on April 12; the SMA has a waiting period of 30 days before the wedding can be registered, the report said.

When Joisna eloped with Shejin, the report said her parents filed a missing person complaint, alleging Shejin forced her to get married to him.

However, Joisna has been maintaining that she has married Shejin out of her own will. Addressing reporters in Alappuzha, where the couple is presently staying, Joisna said she has all the freedom to stick to her religion till her death, The New Minute reported.

Joisna’s father had also moved the High Court seeking an independent probe into his daughter’s wedding and filed a habeas corpus petition saying that the police have failed in bringing her to him.

Shejin told The New Minute that the direction to appear before the High Court division bench came as the habeas corpus was filed before their appearance at the lower court.

A few days ago, on April 12, the couple appeared before a court in Thamarassery, which allowed the two to live together.

Shejin had then told Asianet News that they appeared in court as their relationship should not create any problems.

 

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