The curious case of talaq over WhatsApp has surfaced in the city when two NRI brothers divorced their respective wives over the mobile application. The wife of one of the brothers lodged a complaint with the Hyderabad Police, who took the matter into their hands and started the investigation.
One of the brothers, Osman Qureshi, approached the police with a request to consider their side of the story. He asked them to look into the matter in a fair manner and asked M. Mahender, the Police Commissioner of Hyderabad and also Home Minister Narasimha Reddy to consider his side of the story for going ahead in the investigation. The women alleged that the two brothers pronounced unilateral triple talaq to Mehreen Noor and Syed Hina Fatima, who decided to approach the police.
The younger brother, who lives in the USA put up an hour long video on YouTube in which he explained that he and his family broke no Muslim laws. He also said that before sending talaq on WhatsApp the family had sent divorce papers. He said, “There are two sides of every story. Those investigating should listen to our side. We have not broken any laws.”
He also said that the complete legal process was followed and his wife has agreed and divorced him for which he has documentation as proof. He also said that the marriage ended in front of a Qazi and then approached a lawyer who initiated the process and submitted documents before the authorities. He said that a notice was sent to the girls family and Noor refused to accept it, he said:“It is not my problem if they refuse to accept the divorce.” Qureshi also said that the Maher (Dowry) was completely paid back to the family including wedding charges.
He claimed that he sent the WhatsApp message only after papers were received and said, “I first called them and said that I ‘m divorcing you for what you’ve done.” The brother also claimed that he was verbally abused by his former in-laws and that they had kept the boy’s parents, who are senior citizens, hostage in their home.
