Maulana leaves bickering wives on either side of the door

Zafia Hasani

A 25-year-old woman, the wife of the general secretary of the All India Ulema Board, is sitting in protest outside her marital home in Malvani, demanding justice. She has alleged that her husband, Maulana Bunai Nuaim Hasani, 52, dumped her and her children in Delhi and is living with a woman, who he has claimed is his first wife, in the Mumbai house.

Zafia said she had married Hasani in 2014 at her hometown in Darbhanga. Hasani had told Zafia's parents that he was well-off and could give her a good life in Mumbai. "He told my family that he owns a home in Malvani. Also, that he was earning very well," said Zafia, who hails from a poor family. "After the wedding, he brought me to Mumbai after 10 days" she added.

Maulana Bunai Nuaim Hasani

When Zafia came to Mumbai, she was shocked to find a woman and her children living on the ground floor of the house. Hasani told her that the women was a tenant in his house and that he would be living with Zafia on the 1st floor.

Some months later, when she returned from the market, she found Hasani and the 'tenant' in a compromising position. When Zafia raised an alarm and took the matter to the Malvani police, Hasani apologised to Zafia and promised it would not happen again. Zafia, who was pregnant at the time, agreed, but verbal clashes continued frequently. "Many times our quarrels used to go on for hours, involving the 'tenant' who told me that Hasani was her husband.

Zafia and her family are being helped by neighbours in the Malvani building

When Hasani saw that Zafia was getting a lot of sympathy in the neighbourhood, in March 2018, he took her to New Delhi, saying he was breaking off all ties with the 'tenant' and would henceforth live in Delhi. Zafia, now a mother of two, thought this was the end to her misery. But, after a couple of months, Hasani started staying away from home for weeks on the pretext of work. During this time, he would not give her any money for household expenses.

Zafia became suspicious and called some neighbours in Malvani to ask if Hasani had come there. To her shock, she was told that he was living with the 'tenant' in the house. Zafia decided to catch him red-handed. "When he left Delhi on February 4, I took my kids and came to Malvani. Here I found my husband living in the same house," Zafia told mid-day. "When I confronted him, he told me that the woman in the house is his first wife and if I wanted to live with him, I would have to stay in Delhi," Zafia added. "That's why I decided to sit in protest in front of the house" she said.

The building in Malvani where Zafia used to live with her husband. Pics/Nimesh Dave

Hasani told mid-day, "If Zafia wants to live with me, she will have to stay with me in Delhi. If she wants to separate, that's her wish. The woman whom Zafia is claiming is my first wife, is in fact the owner of the house." Meanwhile, Zafia's neighbours have been helping her with food and other necessities.

"We want the couple to resolve this matter as soon as possible. The children should get a proper education and Zafia, shelter," said Samad Sheikh, a relative of Zafia's, who lives in the same locality. Deepak Fatangre, senior inspector, Malvani police station told mid-day, "We have spoken to both parties as it is a civil matter. But, on humanitarian grounds, we want to resolve the matter. We are now trying to have a conversation with the couple and the other people concerned to end this protest."

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