New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday took on record the Jammu and Kashmir administration’s statement that former Union minister Saifuddin Soz was never placed under detention and disposed of his wife’s plea seeking the release of the senior Congress leader from detention.
A bench of Justices Arun Mishra, Vineet Saran and MR Shah took on record the affidavit filed by JK administration which said that there were no restrictions on the movement of Soz and disposed of the habeas corpus plea observing that it cannot be entertained.
Senior advocate AM Singhvi appeared for Mumtazunnisa Soz, wife of the octogenarian leader.
On June 8, the top court had sought response from the Centre and the JK administration on the plea challenging Soz’s house arrest since August 5 last year.
Mumtazunnisa had also sought the production of the veteran leader before the court and the quashing of the house arrest order.
She had alleged that till date the reasons for the detention have not been supplied to them and they are unable to challenge the arrest under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978.
This makes his detention not only illegal, mala fide and unconstitutional, but also extremely appalling, she said.
Soz was allegedly put under house arrest after the centre had abrogated certain provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution which had granted special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
During the hearing, senior advocates A M Singhvi and P Chidambaram, appearing for Soz’s wife, said that the house arrest has been made without providing a single document.
Singhvi said that Soz is 82 years old and the plea should be heard urgently by next week.
PTI

Press Trust of India