Kasaragod: Chandera Police have registered a case in a child marriage incident, days after an official inquiry concluded that a 16-year-old girl was married at a mosque in Edachakai Azheekal ward of Padna grama panchayat.

Acting on court directions, police booked four persons under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006: the groom Sabir Sheikh (28), an NRI working in South Korea; the girl’s 55-year-old father from Valiyaparamba panchayat; Edachakai Azheekal ward member and Congress leader P K Thajuddin, who is also secretary of the groom’s mosque; and cleric Rahmathulla Madani, who officiated the alleged marriage.

Onmanorama had reported on April 24 that the Child Marriage Prohibition Officer in Kasaragod conducted an inquiry and found that the child marriage took place at Azhikkal Juma Masjid on April 13. The report was submitted to the First Class Judicial Magistrate, Hosdurg, and the District Child Rights Protection Officer, based on which the court issued the directions.

The complaint, filed by NRI and social activist Sameer P K, alleged that the minor girl from Mavila Kadapuram in Valiyaparamba panchayat was married to Sabir Sheikh when he was home from South Korea. “The nikah was solemnised at the mosque, where the bride’s father formally sealed the marriage contract with the groom through a handshake in the presence of witnesses,” Sameer said.

He further alleged that the girl’s local mosque committee had twice refused permission for the marriage, citing her age. But Padna panchayat member Thajuddin, the secretary of the groom’s mosque, facilitated the nikah, alleged Sameer. Thajuddin also heads a ward-level committee tasked with preventing such marriages. He is the brother of Kasaragod District Congress president P K Faisal.

Soon after the incident was reported to Childline, the groom returned to South Korea, the complainant said.

During the inquiry, the Child Marriage Prohibition Officer recorded statements from Madani and the minor girl. Sources said the cleric told the officer he was compelled to perform the ceremony, while the girl is learnt to have confirmed that the marriage took place. However, the officer could not recover documentary proof of the nikah. CCTV cameras and a hard disk seized from the mosque did not contain footage of the ceremony, and efforts are underway to retrieve visuals.

Thajuddin denied the allegations, calling them politically motivated. “No marriage took place in the mosque,” he said. The couple got engaged, and the wedding will happen after she turns 18, he said.

Onmanorama has seen videos of the couple’s engagement. Thajuddin also maintained that there is no document to prove that a marriage took place. Padna panchayat president P C Zubaida said the child marriage had taken place and called for strict action against those responsible.

Police said the case has been registered for violating the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, and further investigation is underway to establish the roles of each accused.