Kerala HC closes habeas corpus plea as Hadiya found residing with second husband
Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala High Court closed the habeas corpus petition filed by Asokan, Hadiya’s father, on Friday after the prosecution informed the court that she is presently residing with her second husband.
Hadiya had gained national attention in 2016 due to her conversion to Islam and marriage to a Muslim.
A division bench of the high court closed the petition upon learning that Hadiya’s first marriage had concluded, and she had entered into a second marriage and living with her second husband near Thiruvananthapuram.
Satisfied over the prosecution’s report, indicating that Hadiya was not in illegal custody, the court decided to close the habeas corpus plea.
The family of Hadiya, whose conversion to Islam and subsequent marriage to a man named Shafin Jahan resulted in a controversy, had moved the Kerala High Court saying that they were unable to trace her for the past one month.
Her father Asokan moved the High Court saying he apprehends that his daughter has been taken into illegal custody by certain people including her husband, who are allegedly part of the banned Popular Front of India.
Asokan had told the high court that for the past one month, Hadiya was untraceable to him and his wife.
He had claimed that whenever they called their daughter, either she was not receiving any calls or on many occasions, the mobile phone was switched off.
Asokan also claimed that they went to her recently opened homoeo clinic at Malappuram but it was found closed and the neighbours didn’t have any idea about it.
Hadiya, had converted to Islam during her medical studies in Coimbatore and married Jahan in 2016 when she was 25 years old.
Soon, Asokan had filed a writ petition in the High Court saying the conversion was forced and Jahan had links to extremist organisations like PFI. He had also argued that she would be trafficked to Syria to join the Islamic State.
The High Court had then annulled the marriage, calling it a ‘sham’.
However, Jahan later approached the Supreme Court and in 2018, the apex court had set aside the High Court order.
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Tribal man brings dead sister's skeleton to bank to withdraw money from her account
Keonjhar (PTI): A tribal man in Odisha's Keonjhar district on Monday brought the skeleton of his dead sister to a bank to withdraw the money deposited in her name, police said.
The incident occurred at Maliposi branch of Odisha Grameen Bank located at Patana block of Keonjhar district. The man was identified as Jeetu Munda (50) of Dianali village. He was seeking to withdraw Rs 20,000 from the bank account of his elder sister, Kalra Munda (56), who died on January 26, 2026.
"I have run several times to the bank, and the people there told me to bring the account holder to withdraw money deposited in her name. Though I told them that she had died, they did not listen to me and insisted on bringing her to the bank. Therefore, out of frustration, I dug the grave and brought out her skeleton as proof of her death," an illiterate Jeetu Munda told reporters.
Patana Police Station Inspector in charge (IIC) Kiran Prasad Sahu, who reached the bank after getting information, said, "Jeetu is an illiterate tribal man. He does not know what the legal heir or nominee is. The bank officials have failed to make him understand the procedure to withdraw money from the dead person's account."
However, after the incident, the police assured Jeetu Munda that they would facilitate the withdrawal of money from the bank account of his dead sister. Later, the skeleton was again buried at the graveyard in presence of police.
Meanwhile, local Block Development Officer (BDO) Manas Dandpat said that he was not approached by anyone for the legal heir of late Kalra Munda. "Today only, I came to know about it. We will see what can be done to resolve the issue," the BDO said.
Meanwhile, bank sources said that the nominee in Kalra Munda's bank account was also dead. Therefore, Jeetu Munda was the lone claimant over the money deposited in her name.
The local administration has directed the bank officers to make arrangements and ensure that Jeetu Munda, who is the only claimant as per the rules, gets the money as soon as possible.
