Madras HC orders release of woman who wanted to convert to Islam

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Chennai, June 22 (IANS) Commuting the death sentence to life imprisonment for five convicts, the Madras High Court on Monday set free Chinnasamy, the main convict, who had also been sentenced to death in the Udumalpet Shankar honour killing case. A Division Bench comprising Justice M. Sathyanarayanan and Justice M. Nirmal Kumar also dismissed the appeal by the state police against the acquittal of three persons by a lower court. The Bench ordered the five convicts sentenced for life to undergo a jail term of not less than 25 years. In 2016, V. Shankar, who had married C. Kausalya, was killed by a gang in Udumalpet in Tamil Nadu. The gang also injured Kausalya in the attack. It was alleged the parents of Kausalya -- Chinnasamy, Annalakshmi -- were against the marriage. P. Pandidurai, the uncle of Kausalya at the behest of Chinnasamy and Annalakshmi had hired a gang to kill Shankar. The gang killed Shankar in broad daylight in a public place and Kausalya too got injured in the attack as she tried to save her husband. The Principal District and Sessions Court in Tiruppur had convicted and sentenced to death six accused persons -- Chinnasamy, P. Jagadeesan, P. Selvakumar, M. Manikandan, M. Mathan alias Michael and P. Kalaithamilvaanan. The court also sentenced two other accused, K. Dhanraj for life and Manikandan to a five year jail term, while acquitting Annalakshmi, Pandidurai and Prasanna. The convicts had filed an appeal agai.

The Madras high court has ordered that a 27-year-old dentist who wanted to convert from Hinduism to Islam be set free and allowed to follow any faith of her choice.

Madurai: Observing that the woman was a major and that she had the fundamental right to follow any faith of her choice, the Madras high court has ordered that a 27-year-old dentist who wanted to convert from Hinduism to Islam be set free and allowed to follow any faith of her choice. The woman, under pressure from her parents, has been kept in a rescue home for women by the police. The police had earlier detained her at home when she said she wanted to convert.

A division bench of Justice M Sathyanarayanan and Justice B Pugalendhi pronounced the judgment.

Advocate T Tamil Malar in her petition, stated that 27-year-old woman had completed her BDS course and inspired by Islam had approached Tamil Nadu Towheed Jamath seeking to convert to that religion.

Her parents after coming to know about it detained her. The woman escaped from her parents’ custody and approached the Jammiyathul Ahlil QuranVal Hadees Society seeking protection. She told the society that she faced threat to her life from her parents because of her decision.

Seeking protection, Selvi sent a representation to the police on August 19 but she was sent to a home without her consent based on the instruction of the inspector of the all-women police station at Tallakulam.

Her advocate was not permitted to meet her when she along with her colleagues went to the home to provide legal assistance to the woman. The advocate further submitted that on the orders of police officials from Mathichiyam and Tallakulam police stations, the woman was being kept under illegal detention. The advocate alleged that the police were influenced by communal elements as the girl decided to embrace Islam.