The Kerala High Court on Monday witnessed dramatic scenes with a boy’s father and his lady love moving the court for his custody.
Janardanan of Kottakkal alleged that his son Arun, had been forcibly converted to Islam. But Rahmathunnisa, who is in love with Arun, argued that her lover was under the illegal custody of his father.
Janardanan argued that his son had been studying in Kallayi, Kozhikode, where he had fallen in love with Rahmathunnisa. He said his son had been taken to an institution named R.V.Centre, Thirur, Malappuram, where he was given religious instruction. He alleged that at the R.V.Centre, his son had been taken for a medical check-up where he was administered some medicines. As a result, he fell unconscious. When he regained consciousness he realised he had been circumcised.
The father further argued that a strong lobby had worked behind the conversion. The court recorded his statements.
The boy, his father and the girl were present in court on Monday. Arun submitted that he was in love with Rahmathunnisa and on June 19, had embraced Islam. He said he had sufficient knowledge of the religion and that he had undergone circumcision.
On June 15, he and Rahmathunnisa had filed a joint application under the Special Marriage Act. On learning this, Arun’s father had taken him to a counselling centre in Kaloor run by the Viswa Hindu Parishad. Arun told the court that he did not want to go back to his house.
The court dismissed both the pleas and permitted Arun to go with Rahmathunnisa. “From the statements of all the parties we are not in a position to arrive at the conclusion that Arun is being detained by anybody”, a division bench comprising justices K.T.Sankaran and M.L. Joseph Francis observed.
Meanwhile, the state government submitted a statement that a tense situation prevailed in the locality as a consequence of the incidents.