SC issues notice to Centre, J&K over detention of Farooq Abdullah

The Supreme Court on Monday (September 16) issued notices to the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir administration seeking their response to the habeas corpus plea filed by MDMK leader Vaiko on producing former J&K chief minister Farooq Abdullah in court.

Acting on Vaiko’s plea who contended that Abdullah has been his close friend for the last four decades whose constitutional rights had been deprived of on account of the “illegal detention without any authority of law”, the court sought to know if Farooq Abdullah was under any detention.

ALSO READ: MDMK chief Vaiko files habeas corpus plea in SC for Farooq Abdullah

The matter thereafter was posted for hearing to September 30 by the bench comprising the Chief justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices SA Bobe and SA Nazeer.

The apex court also asked the Centre to make all endeavours to restore normalcy in Kashmir as soon as possible. The bench also said that the so-called shutdown is in the valley itself and that it can be dealt with by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court.

In response to the direction, the Centre submitted that all the Kashmir-based newspapers were running and that the government had been offering all kinds of assistance. It also said that TV channels like Doordarshan and other private ones along with FM networks are working in the state.

ALSO READ: Amit Shah lying, says Farooq Abdullah on row over his house arrest

Hearing the submission, the bench asked Attorney General KK Venugopal, appearing for the Centre, to submit details of the steps taken on an affidavit.

The top court is hearing a batch of petitions on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of the Centre revoking the special status granted to it under Article 370 of the Constitution.