Srinagar: The J&K High Court on Friday issued notice to government to file response in a petition seeking release of senior National Conference leader Ali Mohammad Sagar.

The petitioner, Ishfaq Sagar, who is elder son of Sagar, through advocate Shuja-ul-Haq submitted in the court that the senior NC leader has been detained under stale, cryptic, vexatious and irrelevant grounds which have no bearing upon his conduct or activities.

It said Sagar is under continuous detention since 6 August, 2019 and has been detained under Public Safety Act on 5 February, 2020.

Counsel Shuja submitted before court that Sagar is an old-aged person and is suffering from many ailments like hypertension and cardiovascular diseases which he developed during his detention. He was operated twice at SKIMS hospital for the same while he was in detention.

The counsel pointed out that since COVID-19 pandemic is spreading and the NC leader has pre-existing medical history, he need to be released as he is most susceptible to the infection.

He pleaded before the court that the World Health Organization (WHO) in an advisory has said that aged persons who are suffering from different ailments are likely to become infected with the virus. The petitioner is at high risk group and he needs to be set free.

The counsel also submitted that in case the government doesn’t release NC leader, he may be temporarily put under house detention till the time the main case which is under challenge before the court is decided.

The court for now has issued the notice to government and has sought response within the contentions of the petition.

The court of Justice Tashi Rabstan while hearing the arguments issued notice to government and directed them consider the bail of petitioner on the basis of averments made in the application, more particularly having regard to health grounds and submit the report on next date of hearing.

The court will hear the matter on 16 April.

NUSRAT SIDIQ