Hindu-Muslim couple brought together by HC

The Bombay High Court on Monday allowed Chaitali Shah to return to her husband Naeem Ansari, who had been forcefully separated from her by her family.

Naeem had moved a habeas corpus application in September 2007, contending that Chaitali’s family, opposed to the inter-religious marriage, had taken her away.

Chaitali had married Naeem, an egg shopowner, on May 30. On July 22, three constables from Raper police station in Gujarat came and took Chaitali to Gujarat saying her grandmother had filed a complaint of robbery against her. Naeem sent his brother Amir and their friend Javed to escort her.

On July 26, Chailtali was remanded in custody in Gujarat. Chaitali told Naeem that a mob, led by an alleged goon and a Vishva Hindu Parishad member Babu Bajrangi, had assaulted Amir and Javed, and that VHP leader Praveen Togadia had told them they deserved such  a treatment.

Naeem’s advocate Mubin Solkar said Chaitali was being illegally detained in Gujarat by her family. Chaitali said her parents forced her to sign an affidavit saying she was blackmailed into marrying Naeem.

Last week, the court sent Chaitali to Asha Sadan in Dongri, where she could record her statement in a ‘fear-free’ environment. In the statement submitted to the court on Monday, Chaitali said she had converted to Islam and had married Naeem willingly. The court directed Chaitali’s family not to interfere in the couple’s marital life.