Freedom from House Arrest for now; SC allows Hadiya to complete house surgeoncy

After two and a half hours of gripping hearing, the Supreme Court today allowed Hadiya to complete her house surgeoncy from Sivaraj Medical College, Salem.

The hearing, which began at 3 pm and stretched well past 5, saw arguments and counter arguments before the Bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud decided to pass an order allowing Hadiya to travel to Salem to finish her medical course.

The Court also interacted with Hadiya at length, during which Hadiya made it clear that she wants to be free, profess her faith and complete her house surgeoncy.

The Court allowed the same, while keeping other issues in the case open. It ordered Sivaraj Homeopathic Medical College to allow hostel facility to complete her house surgeoncy which will be for a period of eleven months. The Court also directed that the Dean of the college should apprise the Court if any problem arises.

The state government of Kerala has been ordered to make arrangement for her journey to Salem.

The matter will now be taken up in the third week of January.

In a judgement dated 25 May this year, a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court annulled Hadiya’s marriage, terming it to be a “sham” and directed that Hadiya be placed in the protective custody of her Hindu parents, or an institution, so that she is prevented from being a further victim of “love jihad”.

The case has become a keenly watched battle in political circles as well since the ramifications could be huge. Since the stakes involved are high, both sides have upped the ante in the Supreme Court.

Hadiya’s husband, Shafin Jahan, had filed an application in Supreme Court seeking recall of the Court’s order of August 16 by which it had directed NIA probe into the matter.

On the last date of hearing, the Bench directed that Hadiya be produced before it today.