Deepa mulling suit to nullify conversion

SEREMBAN: S. Deepa (pic), whose two young children were converted to Islam by her ex-husband without her knowledge, initially wanted to wait until they are 18 to let them choose their religion.

However, following a statement by Izwan Abdullah that he would not let them become apostates, she is now considering a suit to nullify the conversion.

Deepa, 33, said she was now in talks with her lawyers and a decision would be made soon.

“Initially, I thought I would wait until my kids turn 18 so that they could decide which faith they wished to follow.

“I am now seriously thinking about filing a suit after my ex-husband stated that he would never allow our children to become apostates,” she said in an interview with The Star here yesterday.

Deepa said Izwan, 35, was unfair to her when he converted their children, Mithran and Sharmila – later named Nabil and Nurul Nabilah – in 2013.

“My children were converted within minutes although I had protested against this at the state Islamic Affairs office in Paroi.

“They were too young – only five and eight years old.

“I faced many challenges in my life in the past few years,” said Deepa, adding that she last saw her son during Deepavali last year.

On Monday, the Federal Court granted an appeal by kindergarten teacher M. Indira Gandhi and nullified the unilateral conversion of her three children to Islam by her ex-husband.

In an immediate reaction, Izwan had said that his case with Deepa was different from that of Indira’s and that he would not allow his children to become apostates.

In 2013, after unilaterally converting their children, Izwan was granted custody by the Seremban Syariah Court.

However, the civil High Court later gave custody of both children to Deepa. Despite this, Izwan took Nabil away on April 9, 2014.

On Dec 17, 2014, the Court of Appeal upheld the Seremban High Court’s decision to award custody to Deepa despite a conflicting order by the Seremban Syariah Court.

Izwan then took the matter to the Federal Court which in February 2016 granted each parent one child.

Deepa was granted custody of her daughter while Izwan got their son. Both were given visitation rights once every two months.

“Although I can accept the Federal Court’s decision that our children be allowed to choose their faith when they reach 18, I am upset by how my ex-husband converted them to Islam,” she said.

Deepa claimed that she had not been in contact with Izwan despite him insisting that they had “remained good friends”.

“If I need to talk to my son, I will call his wife who is a good person,” she added.

Izwan, who has since remarried, has a two-year-old son with his 32-year-old wife. His wife is expecting their second child.