According to a single bench of Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal, Srinagar -based news assembly agency Kashmir.com, while presiding over the case, focused on the sensitive circumstances around the case. Earlier, the court issued a bail warrants of 10,000 after failing to appear as per the prior order of the two petitioners. However, during Friday’s proceedings, both were present, and the court proceeded to record the statement of one of the chief respondents.
A major development took place during the hearing when it was revealed that the petitioner number 2, the husband hid his earlier marriage in the main arguments demanding security with his second wife. Although a brief mention of the second marriage was made in an affidavit, the court noticed that such a physical fact was to hide. The affidavit presented in a standardized format also had a statement of the woman stating that she was a “legally married wife” and was not forced, a claim that the court claimed that the court claimed that the content of the affidavit was built without full understanding of the content of the affidavit.
Avoiding commenting on the validity of marriage, the court directed the presence of other respondents on the next date to record his statement before the Registrar Judicial. In view of the communal sensitivity around the case, Justice Nargal ordered that further proceedings be conducted in the camera. The case is listed for further hearing on 26 August, and both petitioners are directed to be present on that date.
The court’s directions for security fall amidst increasing tension after the couple’s marriage and a public announcement of a woman’s conversion into Islam.
The controversy erupted on July 23, when Fatima Mir, Nia Raina posted a 17-second video on social media, which announced his conversion and claimed that her decision was voluntary. He said, “I always liked this religion. I was never forced to convert,” he said, his head was covered in a scarf.
The video expressed widespread resentment within the sections of the Kashmiri Pandit community. Her parents released a separate video, claiming that she was lured and brainwash. Father, emotionally distressed, questioned Kashmirit’s idea. The family’s appeal triggled a wave of support from the members of the Pandit community, some of which have since organized the WhatsApp groups to “bring back” and are now demanding implementation of an opposing conversion law in Jammu and Kashmir.
In response, Fatima released a second video, stating that she was an adult, was 30 years old, and was able to make her life fully decided. He said that he was married to Sajad Mir for three months and he questioned why his marriage is being considered as a crime. “My parents never had any issue – till now,” he said, urged people to let them live peacefully.
MLA Pulwama, Waheed Parra has said for sensitivity and restraint, “This is a very delicate case. We are trying our best to ensure that minorities are not hurt.” (KDC)
