Why did the police decline to investigate the child snatching?

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Police Declined to Investigate Child Snatching Due to Conflicting Court Orders

The police declined to investigate the child snatching incident because they were bound by two conflicting court orders concerning custody rights. Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar stated that the authorities were not concerned about the child's safety, as he was with his father.
Conflicting Jurisdictions and Orders

The Seremban High Court had granted full custody of the two children to their mother, S. Deepa, on April 7, on the basis that their marriage was a civil union. However, the father, Izwan Abdullah, who had converted to Islam, had previously obtained custody rights from the Shariah Court. This Shariah Court order, issued last year, awarded him custody of the two children whom he had converted to Islam without his wife's knowledge.
Father's Actions and Legal Standing

Following the Seremban High Court's ruling on April 7, Izwan Abdullah took their six-year-old son and refused to comply with the High Court's decision. The Court of Appeal, in rejecting Izwan's subsequent application to temporarily set aside the High Court ruling, noted that there were no special circumstances presented. The judges also highlighted that Izwan's conduct in violating the April 7 order precluded him from seeking such a legal remedy, as he did not approach the court with "clean hands."
Police Interpretation of Custody Rights

The police, specifically Jelebu district police chief Setapa Yusof, indicated that they could not investigate Izwan for abduction because both the High Court and Shariah Court orders were binding on them. This situation meant the police were caught in a legal impasse, unable to act on the child snatching as a criminal offense due to the ongoing dispute over legitimate custody rights. The six-year-old son remained with Izwan for over a month after the High Court ruling.

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Why did the police decline to investigate the child snatching?

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