In first triple talaq conviction in Bihar, Patna court awards man imprisonment for two years

In a landmark decision, a Patna court in Bihar has convicted a man for the first time under the anti-triple talaq law. Naushad Ahmed, a resident of Bihta village, received a two-year rigorous prison sentence and a Rs 6,500 fine for violating the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019. The court also acquitted him in an unrelated acid attack case against his wife, Raziya Sultan, also known as Gudiya.

Ahmed was found guilty under Section 4 of the Protection of Rights on Marriage Act and IPC sections 323 and 341 for assault and wrongful restraint, respectively. The court ordered an additional one month and 22 days in prison if the fine remains unpaid. Raziya Sultan and Naushad Ahmed, married since November 9, 2001, have three children.

In 2022, the accused allegedly assaulted his wife and children, with an incident involving an attempted acid attack on his wife on September 5, 2022. Following a police investigation, a chargesheet was filed on July 31, 2023, leading to Ahmed's conviction. Despite the judge's statement that no evidence was presented against him in the acid attack case, Naushad Ahmed's defense plans to challenge the verdict in the High Court.