Organised effort behind conversion of Hadiya, Athira, NIA to Supreme Court

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has asked Kerala police to provide details of 'alleged forced conversions' at a religious centre in Kozhikode. The NIA has asked the state police to provide details of alleged conversions at Therbiyathul Islam Sabha.

The investigation agency reported this before the Supreme Court while filing a status report in Hadiya case. The apex court had directed NIA to investigate the case after Shafin Jahan, the man whom Hadiya (who was known as Akhila before she converted) married after joining Islam.

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It was at this religious centre that Akhila, 25, got converted to Islam. Her parents had moved Kerala High Court stating that it was a case of forced conversion and they doubt that Shafin Jahan is suspected to have links with the ISIS. Following this, the High Court annulled the marriage and send the girl with her parents. 

Shafin Jahan then approached Supreme Court, and the division bench of Chief Justice J.S.Khehar and D.Y.Chandrachud asked NIA to investigate the case. 

In the status report, NIA states that on examining police records it is suspected that there seems to be an organised effort in the conversion, The Hindu reports. However, the probe agency has not yet questioned Hadiya.

In the report submitted before the apex court, NIA states that Akhila Asokan, who went with her parents following High Court order on May 24, has told police on various occasions that it was her decision to convert to Islam. She also told police that Sainaba and her associates just assisted her in the process and subsequent marriage, on her request.

The Supreme Court had ordered NIA  to conduct the probe under the guidance of Justice R V Raveendran. However, the Justice backed out from the case. He wrote Supreme Court that he wouldn't be able to guide the investigation agency as he had to travel abroad for a longer duration. The NIA is waiting for the apex court to appoint another judge before interacting with Hadiya.

The NIA has also found similarities between the cases of Hadiya and Athira Nambiar, another Hindy girl who converted to Islam at the same religious centre in Kozhikode. However, Athira returned home after her parents filed a Habeas Corpus petition at Kerala High Court. 

More: Athira, the missing Hindu girl, returns as Ayesha after converting to Islam

On investigation, it was found that a woman named by Sainaba was present. She is an activist of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political arm of the Popular Front of India (PFI). 

The report NIA states that Sainab lured and influenced Athira Nambiar to convert to Islam at Markaz-ul-Hidaya while Akhila Ashokan was under her custody as per the direction of High Court. This shows that the case of Hadiya is not an isolated one but rather an organised effort. 

Read more: Love jihad? NIA finds common 'mentor' in Hadiya, Ayesha cases

During the probe, it was also found that Shafin Jahan's father Shah Jahan was a Hindu who converted to Islam after marrying his mother Rejula, a Muslim. They got separated in 2014. The NIA also states that there are four criminal cases registered against Shafin Jahan, all of them of political nature and that he was an active member of SDPI.

• Hadiya
• Supreme Court
• Shafin Jahan
• Athira
• love jihad