Kozhikode: Arriving at Kozhikode after the March 8 Supreme Court order that upheld her marriage with Shafin Jahan, Hadiya, a convert whose marriage had become national headlines after the Kerala High Court annulled her marriage said that 'all this happened because I embraced Islam'.
Hadiya, previously Akhila, landed in the eye of the storm of a conversion-marriage controversy after her father Ashokan approached the Kerala High Court seeking annulment of his daughter's marriage accusing that Hadiya's husband Shafin Jahan had links with Islamic terror groups and his daughter was forcibly coverted.
The court had annulled the marriage and handed over the custody of the woman to her father against her will, leading to a house arrest.
Hadiya and her husband arrived here on Saturday from Salem and drove to the office of the Popular Front of India (PFI) where she briefly interacted with reporters.
"The Constitution gives all the freedom to choose their religion, which is a fundamental right of every citizen and all this happened because I embraced Islam," said Hadiya while interacting with the media.
"With the Supreme Court upholding our marriage, we feel we have got freedom," Hadiya said here. The top court on March 8, set aside an order of the Kerala High Court that annulled their marriage.
Hadiya, along with her husband, met P Aboobacker to thank him for all the support he had extended to face the case against her conversion to Islam and marriage with Shafin.
"It was only the PFI that supported us all through our troubled times and what's more surprising is that two Muslim organisations whom we approached refused to help us," added Hadiya who will be in Kerala for three more days before returning to Salem in Tamil Nadu where she is studying.
Both Hadiya and Shafin told reporters here that though several other organisations had helped them, it was the PFI that stood by them throughout the crisis.
"We're happy for being free. We thank all those who stood with us," Hadiya said. Shafin said they would be meeting the media before Hadiya returns to Salem where she studies.
A bench of chief justice Dipak Misra, justice A.M. Khanwilkar and justice D.Y. Chandrachud on Thursday said: "Hadiya alias Akhila Asokan is at liberty to pursue her future endeavours according to law."
However, the court also said the National Investigation Agency (NIA) would continue its probe into the criminal dimension of the case, if any.
Hadiya's father has said that he will go ahead in the case seeking legal recourse to the apex court's latest judgment.
Hadiya left for Malappuram along with Shafin Friday afternoon.
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