A local court today granted bail to seven persons involved in the case of a United Arab Emirates citizen marrying a minor girl of an orphanage and later divorcing her by pronouncing talaq over phone on his return to his country.
Those granted bail by Principal District and Sessions Court Judge V Bhaskaran included Sulaikha, mother of UAE citizen Jasim Mohammed Abdul Kareem, her second husband C Munir, a cousin of UAE citizen Abu Shahabas and four functionaries of CIESCO Girls home, an orphanage -- P T Mohammed Ali, B V Mamukoya, Khader and P M Khalid.
Police have named 11 persons in the list of accused.
The accused have been charged with IPC section 376 (rape), prohibition of domestic violence Act, Prohibition of Child Marriage Act-2006, Juvenile Justice Act and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
On August 28, police had arrested Sulaika, Munir and Abu.
The plight of the 17-year-old girl came to light after she approached the Child Welfare Committee complaining that authorities at the orphanage, where she was staying, forced her to marry Jasim, who hails from Ras al-Khaimah, on June 13.
Jasim, who sexually abused the girl at various places in Kerala, returned to his country on July 1.
The girl received a telephone call from her husband on August 6 to hear from him that he had divorced her.
Police action came on a directive by State Human Rights Commission, which directed the State Police chief and Social Justice Department to probe the matter and submit a report.
The girl had also sent a complaint to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy,state Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, Minister of State for Home Mullappally Ramachandran and Union Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed.
The infamous 'Arabi Kalyanam' (Arab wedding), a social malady prevalent in parts of Kerala, has stirred a raging debate over the evil practice, which has devastated lives of young girls, in the wake of the latest episode in which this 17-year old was forced into marriage.
Poverty-stricken parents, unable to meet hefty dowry demands of local youths, are often trapped by "visiting grooms" with support of marriage brokers and community elders.
Initially, brides are given costly gifts and cash to lure their parents to force their daughters into marriage. After the wedding, they are taken on a honeymoon for a few days and even for weeks, after which the groom leaves for their homes abandoning them.
