India’s Kerala High Court has dismissed a petition filed by a Christian father over his daughter’s marriage to a Muslim.
Joisna Mary Joseph, 26, a nurse who works in Saudi Arabia, married Shejin M, a Communist Party of India worker from Alappuzha, in the southern Indian state of Kerala, without her parents' approval, on April 12.
The marriage created a storm in the coastal state after the bride's relatives accused Mr Shejin of abducting Ms Joseph.
But she denied this, saying: “I married the person I loved, so I wanted to go with him.”
Her father had approached police with a complaint of abduction.
After failing to get help from officers, he filed a habeas corpus petition in the court, alleging his daughter had been taken away against her will and illegally detained.
Habeas corpus is a recourse in law that orders a person who has detained another person to produce them before the court.
The high court summoned Ms Joseph on Tuesday and dismissed the petition after she said she had married of her own free will.
“We have interacted with the [detainee]. She categorically states that she has decided to interact with Shejin of her own free will and not under any sort of compulsion,” the court order said.
“Taking note of the categorical stance of the [detainee] and being convinced that there is no illegal detention, the petition is closed.”
Nuns join protests in Kerala
Earlier this month, Ms Joseph had visited her home town to become engaged to another man — which had been arranged by the family.
But she had already been in a relationship with Mr Shejin for seven months, and left her parents to marry him. This took place under the Special Marriage Act, which allows couples of different faiths to have a civil wedding without either having to convert to the other's religion.
Some Christians in Kerala, including nuns, protested against the marriage. About 18 per cent of the state's population are Christians.
“I married the person I loved so I wanted to go with him. I liked him and started living with him. I told the court about my decision,” Ms Joseph told local media.
Kerala's courts have dealt with similar cases in the past. In 2018, in the Hadiya case, the Supreme Court restored the marriage of a Muslim man and a woman who had been born a Hindu.
I married the person I loved so I wanted to go with him
Recent bride Shejin M
It overruled a Kerala High Court order that had annulled the marriage of Hadiya and Shafin Jehan, a Muslim man.
Hadiya was born as Akhila Ashokan and had converted to Islam before meeting Mr Jehan. But her father had claimed that she was “brainwashed” and had challenged the marriage.
Eight states ruled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party have criminalised interfaith marriages through “anti-conversion” laws barring religious conversion for marriages.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
How The Debt Panel's advice helped readers in 2019
December 11: 'My husband died, so what happens to the Dh240,000 he owes in the UAE?'
JL, a housewife from India, wrote to us about her husband, who died earlier this month. He left behind an outstanding loan of Dh240,000 and she was hoping to pay it off with an insurance policy he had taken out. She also wanted to recover some of her husband’s end-of-service liabilities to help support her and her son.
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November 26: ‘I owe Dh100,000 because my employer has not paid me for a year’
SL, a financial services employee from India, left the UAE in June after quitting his job because his employer had not paid him since November 2018. He owes Dh103,800 on four debts and was told by the panellists he may be able to use the insolvency law to solve his issue.
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October 15: 'I lost my job and left the UAE owing Dh71,000. Can I return?'
MS, an energy sector employee from South Africa, left the UAE in August after losing his Dh12,000 job. He was struggling to meet the repayments while securing a new position in the UAE and feared he would be detained if he returned. He has now secured a new job and will return to the Emirates this month.
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The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S
Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km
Company%20Profile
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England squad
Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Dominic Bess, James Bracey, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Ben Foakes, Lewis Gregory, Keaton Jennings, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Saqib Mahmood, Craig Overton, Jamie Overton, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Dom Sibley, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Amar Virdi, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
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LIVING IN...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8
Power: 503hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 685Nm at 2,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Price: from Dh850,000
On sale: now
