Last Updated on July 10, 2021 at 5:51 pm
Shahid Nazir Bhatt a Kashmiri Muslim man was arrested on June 23 on charges of abduction, criminal intimidation and forcible conversion of Sikh women Manmeet Kaur for marriage.
Bhatt says that on June 5, he got married to Manmeet without the knowledge of her parents. At this time she allegedly converted to Islam and took the name Zoya. The case was filed after Manmeet’s father complained to the police on June 21 about her abduction. Reportedly, after Shahid’s arrest, Manmeet gave a statement that she had converted to Islam and married him of her free will.
Manmeet’s parents allegedly took her away and got her married to a Sikh man in a Pulwama gurdwara on 29 June.
A senior police officer said that Shahid has been released on bail but case is still not closed and is under investigation. Police said that until Shahid do not lodge any complaint against Manmeet’s parents for allegedly getting her remarried they cannot take any action.
Shahid claims that Manmeet is his legally wedded wife thus her second marriage which was forcefully done makes it illegal.
Jammu and Kashmir police still has to verify the documents.
“She told the court that she married me out of choice. After that, the judge told my father, who was also in the court, to take her home with him,” alleged Shahid. Shahid further claims that her parents took her forcefully away, they tricked her and then got her married.
Shahid said that he would move court to bring his wife back. He said that he is ready to fight any legal battle. “Manmeet is my love of six years and I was shocked on coming to know about her remarriage” said Shahid .
Delhi-based advocate Mehmood Pracha said that a ‘nikahnama’ is considered to be legal proof of marriage and is accepted as a proof.
Pracha further said that Shahid has an option of filing a Habeas Corpus petition, after which the court can order Manmeet to appear before it for a statement.
It was after Manjinder Singh Sirsa, the president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), who alleged that Sikh women in Kashmir are being forcibly converted and married, Manmeet was “rescued”.
Shahid said that he could see the pain in her eyes in the pictures of Manmeet’s gurdwara wedding ceremony.
Shahid said that he knows her and she cannot cheat him. “She has been made captive and forcefully got married” Shahid claimed and said that he tried to contact her but she has not been given any phone.
Shahid further said that after marriage she has been taken to Delhi but he feared that politicization of the issue may put him in trouble. Shahid says he will fight till the end to get the love of his life back.
