Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Aug 17: The Supreme Court which is looking into a case of alleged 'Love Jihad' in Kerala has said that it will deliver its verdict after National Investigation Agency (NIA) office at Bengaluru conducts complete probe into the said case, and also after taking into consideration statements of Kerala police and the opinion of the girl in question.

The Supreme Court bench which is hearing the case also said that retired judge, Justice R V Ravindran, will oversee the NIA investigation. It also clarified that it has chosen to get the investigation done through Bengaluru unit of NIA to ensure that the probe is held without being under any kind of pressure, it is transparent and judicious. The bench ordered Kerala police to extend full cooperation to the investigating team.

Additional solicitor general, Maninder Singh, who represented NIA in the Supreme Court, said that several marriages conducted on the model of Love Jihad in Kerala follow a particular trend. He argued that in most cases, Hindu girls who have some differences with parents are being targetted for separation from parents and then converting them into Islam.He had sought involvement of NIA in the probe to bring more details out.

Senior advocate, G Giri, who represented Kerala government, said that the state does not oppose NIA investigation into Love Jihad. He said that a special investigating team is already on the job, and that Kerala is not opposed to the involvement of NIA.

Although advocate for the petitioner, Shafeen Jahan, Kapil Sibal, asked the bench to hear the girl's version first, the bench said it would hear the girl after the probe is complted, Kerala police report is examined, and statements of others concerned with case are recorded.