A Hindu mother’s application for leave to quash the certificates of conversion of her three children, issued by Perak Religious Council, came up for hearing in the Ipoh High Court today.

The children were converted by M Indira Gandhi’s estranged husband, Mohd Riduan Abdullah, without her knowledge.

High Court Judge Zainal Adzam Abdul Ghani told Indira’s lawyer M Kualasegaran that he needs more time to study the complex case before he can grant the leave application and fixed April 30 for his decision.

She had filed the civil case against the state registrar of conversions, Perak religious department director and both the state and federal governments.

 

mccbchst religious society conversion pc 220409 indera Only Indira ( right ) turned up in the High Court today.

In his submission Kulasegaran said that the High Court had the jurisdiction to hear the conversion case as Indira is a non-Muslim and that, as a non-Muslim, she could not seek justice to the Syariah court.  

However Riduan’s lawyer submitted that the High Court has no jurisdiction to hear the decision of the Syariah Court.

Kulasegaran believes that Indira’s leave application case is the first to be filed in the state.

Contempt proceedings    

Indira had in March obtained the High Court’s custody order for the three children who were converted to Islam in April last year by Riduan without her knowledge. He was granted once-weekly visitation rights.        

Yesterday, the same High Court Judge Wan Afrah Wan Ibrahim turned down Riduan’s stay order for the custody of the three children.

Indira plans to file contempt proceedings against Riduan should he not immediately hand over the custody of  their two-year old daughter.

The two elder children, a 13 year old daughter and a 12 year old son, are with their mother.

However Indira is in a dilemma as she does not have the present address of Riduan to serve him the order.  

She believes Riduan and their child are presently residing in Kelantan.