A man in Telangana’s Adilabad has been booked for trying to pronounce triple talaq to his wife over a WhatsApp voice note. The accused, identified as Abdul Ateeq, allegedly sent the voice note to his wife Jasmeen on May 11. The couple, who have been married for nearly seven years, have two children aged six and three, and Jasmeen has also accused Abdul of physical assault and dowry demands.
According to Jasmeen’s complaint, she and Abdul got married on August 17, 2017, at Urdu Ghar, Adilabad, as per Islamic customs. Her parents, on the demand of her husband and in-laws, gave a dowry of Rs 1 lakh in cash, two tolas of gold, and household articles worth Rs 2 lakh, Jasmeen mentioned. She alleged that after giving birth to two daughters, her husband and his family members harassed her for an additional dowry of Rs 2 lakh, physically assaulted her, and forced her to leave the house. She also alleged that her husband was pursuing a romantic relationship with another woman.
On March 1, 2023, Jasmeen’s husband came to her parents’ house and allegedly beat her up “mercilessly”, her complaint said. At the time, a case was registered by the Adilabad police against her husband and his relatives. Since she was forced to leave her husband’s house, Jasmeen had been living separately from Abdul, at her parents’ house, without any communication with him, the complaint further said.
On May 11, at around 9.30 pm, Abdul sent her a WhatsApp voice message and pronounced triple talaq, according to Jasmeen. Triple talaq is an offence, and is also void, as per the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019.
Abdul has been booked under Section 4 (punishment for pronouncing talaq) of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019, according to which any Muslim husband who pronounces talaq upon his wife shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, along with a fine.