Marriage Under Muslim Personal Law Cannot Shield Man from POCSO Prosecution for Sex with Minor Wife: Kerala High Court

In a significant judgment, the Kerala High Court has clarified that a marriage performed under Muslim personal law cannot serve as a shield for a man accused of repeatedly raping his minor wife. Justice Jobin Sebastian, in his order dated August 19, 2026, dismissed the petition of the accused who sought to quash criminal proceedings against him, asserting that the marriage under Islamic law protected him from prosecution under the…