A 34-year-old man in Kerala was arrested by the police Friday for allegedly pronouncing instant triple talaq to his wife in Mukkam, Kozhikode district. This is the first arrest in the state under the new law.
The arrest came after the man’s wife, resident of Mukkam, had approached the court with the complaint. Judicial First-Class Magistrate court in Thamarassery had thereby directed the arrest of EK Hussam, 34, who hails from Chullikkaparambu in Kozhikode, a police official confirmed.
While a case has been booked under Sections 3,4 of the Muslim Women (Protection of Marriage) Act, 2019, Hussam was let off on bail after his arrest was recorded.
Read | First arrest over triple talaq in Delhi
The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights of Marriage) Bill, 2019, which makes the practice of instant triple talaq a penal offence, had received the approval of the Rajya Sabha on July 30. Under the new Act, any form of instant talaq, either spoken, in writing or sent through electronic means, is illegal and has provisions for a prison term up to three years for the husband. The woman had filed an application before the Thane commissioner’s office, seeking that a case be filed under the new Act against the accused.