HC grants Govt final opportunity to file report about Sagar’s release
Srinagar: The J&K High Court today granted final opportunity to J&K government to file its report on one of its earlier orders that asked government to consider release of National Conference leader Ali Mohammad Charloo alias Sagar.
Justice Sindhu Sharma granted last and final opportunity of ten days to the government to file counter affidavit and also submit the report in terms of the order passed on 3rd of April 2020.
Sagar was one of the thousands of civilians subjected to preventive detention after 5th of August 2019 when government of India scraped the autonomy of J&K and brought it under direct control.
Justice Sharma also directed the Registrar General to reflect B A Dar, the Additional Advocate General of J&K as a respondent in the case.
The High Court in April had asked the government to consider release of Sagar on health grounds as raised in his plea.
The application filed along a habeas corpse petition through his counsel Shuja Ul Haq stated, “the petitioner, an old aged person, is suffering from hypertension and orthopaedic complications having developed a severe cardio vascular ailment during his detention since August 6 2019.”
According to the lawyer the petitioner was operated upon twice in the hospital during his detention. “Since he has pre-existing serious medical conditions as such is most susceptible to coronavirus infection,” it said.
It further said that the petitioner has a reasonable apprehension that in case he is not shifted to home quarantine, he may fall prey to the deadly virus.
Interestingly Sagar’s capacity to convince people to vote in elections during a poll boycott call by separatists in Kashmir has been listed by J&K authorities, among one of the reasons for his detention under Public Safety Act.
The grounds of detention also mention about a meeting Sagar had allegedly chaired at his residence in Srinagar in July 2019. “In the meeting, you stated that if Article 370 is abrogated, we will unite and raise voice against Union of India”, the dossier said.
Rashid Paul is Associate Editor at Kashmir Images.
He can be reached at [email protected]
