Won't interfere in plea against an interfaith marriage: Cal HC

Kolkata: According to a report published by Live Law, the Calcutta High Court on Monday ruled that there can be no interference with an interfaith marriage if a woman entered the alliance as per her personal choice and decides to convert to a different religion.

A bench of Justices Sanjib Banerjee and Arijit Banerjee were hearing a plea filed by a father alleging that his 19-year-old daughter married a Muslim man and converted to Islam under pressure. However, the daughter stated that she married the person of her choice and would not want to go back to her parents. She recorded this statement before a magistrate.

The woman, identified as Pallabi Sarkar, had married Asmaul Shaikh, according to a report filed at the Murutia Police Station on December 7.

As per Live Law, the father, who submitted his petition in the High Court, stated that he feared his daughter might not feel free to testify and his angst about the pressure put on his child should be mollified.

In response to his allegations, the Calcutta High Court ordered that Sarkar be brought before the most senior additional district judge stationed in Tehatta in the presence of her father, to ensure there was no pressure on the woman to make false statements. Following the meeting, the judge submitted a "clear and clean report" to the High Court, confirming that Sarkar's marriage was consensual.