Kochi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the probe into the controversial religious conversion case of Akshara Bose, a woman from Pathanamthitta who had moved the Kerala High Court against her husband.
In her complaint to the HC, Akshara had alleged that she was forcibly converted to Islam and her husband tried to sell her to the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists.
The NIA had earlier informed the HC that it was ready to probe the case if directed by the court. Two Paravoor natives were earlier arrested in connection with the case.
Akshara, who belongs to Ranni in Pathanamthitta district, is now living at Jamnagar in Gujarat. She had filed a petition against her husband, Mohammed Riyas from Peringadi in New Mahi.
She was introduced to Mohammed Riyas when she was studying in Bengaluru. Her petition said that Riyas allegedly used a video recording of their private moments and blackmailed her to convert and marry him in November 2015. She then took the name of Aisha.
The petition also said that Riyas used fake documents to get an Aadhaar card using which the May 21, 2016, marriage was registered. After getting a passport, there was an attempt to take her to Saudi Arabia and Syria. She was forced to listen to Zakir Naik, the controversial Islamic preacher and founder of Mumbai-based NGO Islamic Research Foundation.
She was also allegedly forced to wear a veil and support ISIS. Scared of Riyas, she shifted to Ahmedabad on October 15, 2016, from Bengaluru.
The religious conversion of another Kerala woman, Hadiya, had recently hit headlines. The 25-year-old Akhila, alias Hadiya, had converted and married a Muslim. However, the Kerala HC had declared the marriage null and void, following which her husband moved the Supreme Court. The case is still under SC's consideration but the apex court said that the NIA cannot probe her marital status.
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