Mumbai, Sept. 15: Bombay High Court today granted a minor’s custody to her boyfriend’s mother instead of her parents who had opposed her relationship with the young man from another faith.

The 17-year-old had eloped with Firoze Abdul Shah, 22, last year and married him. Police, whom her parents had approached, arrested Firoze and dubbed their marriage illegal as the girl was not yet 18.

The girl told the court she did not “want to talk to her parents” and preferred to stay with her “mother-in-law”.

“She has given me a lot of love and understands my deep affection for Firoze. She has accepted me despite me being from another religion. I can’t say the same of my parents. If I have to be in somebody’s custody, I prefer to be with my mother-in-law,” she said.

“For them (her parents), my happiness is not paramount, their social prestige is.”

The court then granted Firoze’s mother, Khalida Shaikh, the girl’s custody. But it reserved its judgment on Firoze for six months, by which time the Supreme Court is expected to pass an order related to marriages of minors.

The high court is waiting for another order that will decide whether Firoze can be convicted of rape if he has had sexual relations with the girl. The police have sent the girl for a medical test to see if Firoze can be charged with rape.