Abdullahs move Jammu and Kashmir high court for leaders’ release

An NC spokesman said the decision to move to court had been taken to seek relief for party leaders who had been kept under house detention after being shifted from detention centres.

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) president and Srinagar MP Farooq Abdullah and his son and former chief minister Omar Abdullah on Monday filed petitions challenging the detention of 16 senior leaders, of the party, many among whom were former ministers and legislators.

In their plea Srinagar MP Farooq Abdullah and his son and former chief minister Omar Abdullah said the detention of NC leaders was “unconstitutional and illegal.” (ANI File Photo)

The habeas corpus petition was filed by the two senior NC leaders in the Jammu and Kashmir high court. They said the detention of NC leaders was “unconstitutional and illegal.”

According to NC, party president Farooq Abdullah filed a petition for the release of Ali Mohammad Sager, Abdul Rahim Rather, Nasir Aslam Wani, Aga Sayeed Mehmood, Mohammad Khalil Band, Irfan Shah and Sheemama Firdous.

Omar Abdullah challenged the detention of Mohammad Shafi Uri, Aga Ruhullah, Chaudhary Mohammad Ramzan, Mubarak Gul, Basher Veeri, Abdul Majeed Larmi, Bashaarat Bukhari, Saifudin Bhat and Mohammad Shafi.

Both the leaders challenged the detentions through their counsel Shariq Reyaz.

An NC spokesman said the decision to move to court had been taken to seek relief for party leaders who had been kept under house detention after being shifted from detention centres. ‘Shifting of the detainees from the detention centres to their homes only characterized revolving door detention practice,’’ he spokesman said.

‘’The house detentions without any administrative order are unlawful, undermining due respect to human rights and individual liberty,’’ the NC spokesman said, adding that the party hoped the court will come to the rescue of political leaders who had been suffering ever since article 370, which granted special status to J&K, was effectively revoked in August last year. ‘’Most of the leaders are suffering from various ailments.’’

The NC leaders were arrested a day before the abrogation of article 370 along with Omar Abdullah and Farooq Abdullah.