The Ipoh High Court has ordered both parents embroiled in a custody battle over three children to produce them in court when the hearing continues on Jan 22.

indra gandhi 170409 04 Kindergarten teacher M Indira Gandhi, 35, has filed three  applications seeking custody of sons Tevidarsiny, 13 and Karan Dinish,12, and daughter Prasana Diksa, 2, following the conversion of her husband to Islam.

In April 2009, she claimed that her estranged husband Mohd Ridwan Abdullah, 41, previously known as K Patmanathan, had converted himself and the children without her knowledge.

Indira Gandhi also wants the conversion certificates of her children quashed, alongside the Syariah Court’s order awarding custody of the children to Mohd Ridwan.

Today, Justice Wan Afrah Wan Ibrahim heard arguments in chambers for about 90 minutes from lawyers representing Indira Gandhi before issuing the order for the children to be produced in court.

Indira Gandhi is represented by four lawyers - K Shanmuga, M Kulasegaran, D Laithaa and Sahri Azzat - while Mohd Ridwan is represented by three lawyers.

Both parents should have a say

Shanmuga submitted that both parents should have a say in the conversion of children below the age of 18, as stated in Section 5 of the Guardinship of Infants Act 1961.

Mohd Ridwan has been in hiding with the youngest child since Indira Gandhi sought police help to get the girl back. The elder children are with the mother.

Judicial Commissioner Ridwan Ibrahim had, on April 24 last year, granted Mohd Ridwan temporary custody of all three children.

Malaysia has a dual-track legal system, with the civil and the Syariah courts operating side by side on matters of family law.

Non-Muslims have previously claimed that they do not get a fair hearing when such cases are disposed of through the Syariah court system, as they have no locus standi to plead their cause.

Both Indira Gandhi and Mohd Ridwan were present at the court today.