NIA will probe into Kerala's Love Jihad case: SC

The Supreme Court on Wednesday handed over the probe into the incident of 'Love Jihad' in Kerala to the National Investigation Agency. The court appointed former SC judge Justice R V Raveendran to supervise the investigation.

A bench of Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud, however, assured senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Indira Jaising, representing petitioner Safin Jahan that the court would talk to girl Akhila before taking a final view of the matter.

Safin Jahan has challenged the Kerala HC order of May last, annulling his marriage, saying it was a case of 'Love Jihad'.

The National Investigation Agency, which was earlier allowed to access records of the case, on Wednesday told the apex court that this was "not an isolated



case." Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh, representing NIA, said: "the entity involved into issue had some connections to banned organisation SIMI."

During the hearing, Sibal strongly opposed NIA probe, saying "the agency has taken several u-turns in other investigation. It would have serious ramifications."

"Everybody wants a fair and independent probe. What we can do is to appoint a former SC judge to supervise," the bench said.

Sibal's plea that the apex court should first talk to the 25-year old girl before handing over the probe to the NIA was shot down by the court.

"If we talk to her now, everything would be over," the bench said, adding let the investigation into the matter be over.