Karnataka: Udupi district records its first triple talaq case

MANGALURU: The first triple talaq case has been registered in Karnataka's Udupi district under the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019. The complaint was lodged at Kundapur Police station, about 90 kms from here, on Sunday.
The complaint was filed by Alfiya Akthar, 27, hails from Moodu Gopadi village of Koteshwara, Kundapur taluk, against her husband Hanif Sayyad, 32, of Hiriyadka.
According to her complaint, Sayyad had uttered talaq thrice on August 15 and the same had been recorded on her mobile. The couple, both divorcees, were married on July 4, 2019. After pronouncing talaq, Sayyad had left her at her parents’ house two days later.
Her in-laws had also physically and mentally tortured her for more dowry after their marriage was consummated. At the time of the marriage, expenses of Rs 2 lakh and Rs 2 lakh as dowry was also borne by the complainant’s father and brother, further the complaint stated.
She said her husband on September 5 sent a lawyer’s notice indicating that the marriage was null and void, apart from leveling other allegations.
The police have filed the case under the Dowry Prohibition Act, Section 4 of Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019, that makes all declaration of talaq, including in written or electronic form, to be void (i.e. not enforceable in law) and illegal. It defines talaq as talaq-e-biddat or any other similar form of talaq pronounced by a Muslim man resulting in instant and irrevocable divorce and other IPC sections.
Talaq-e-biddat refers to the practice under Muslim personal laws where pronouncement of the word ‘talaq’ thrice in one sitting by a Muslim man to his wife results in an instant and irrevocable divorce. The Bill makes declaration of talaq a cognizable offence, attracting up to three years’ imprisonment with a fine.