Kushinagar: Police have registered a case against an NRI for allegedly divorcing his wife over the phone. The incident occurred just three days after the Triple Talaq Bill was passed by both Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha and President Ram Nath Kovind’s assent.

The case was registered after the woman's father submitted a written complaint to Kushinagar Police regarding the matter. A case has been registered against the NRI under Section 4 of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019, at the Nibua Naurangiya Police Station of Kushinagar district. The NRI is identified as Abdul Raheem. Sources say he said talaq three times to his 25-year-old wife Fatima Khatoon over phone and ended the call.

Also read: Triple talaq becomes official as President Kovind gives his assent

The new law, The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019 makes talaq-e-biddat or any other similar form of talaq having the effect of instantaneous and irrevocable divorce pronounced by a Muslim husband void and illegal.

It makes it illegal to pronounce talaq three times in spoken, written or through SMS or WhatsApp or any other electronic chat in one sitting.

"Any pronouncement of talaq by a Muslim husband upon his wife, by words, either spoken or written or in electronic form or in any other manner whatsoever, shall be void and illegal," the law says.

Any Muslim husband who pronounces the illegal form of talaq upon his wife shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, and shall also be liable to fine, it states.