Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 3: High Court today issued notice to Government on the plea of senior National Conference leader Ali Mohammad Sagar for changing his lodgement in the light of COVID-19.
The petition has been filed by his son Ishfaq Ali challenging detention order passed by District Magistrate Srinagar vide order No. DMS/ PSA/145/2019 dated 5-02-2020 through his counsel Shuja-ul-Haq Tantry.
Justice Tashi Rabstan issued notice to Principal Secretary Home Department, District Magistrate Srinagar and Superintendent of Police Subsidiary Jail M-5 Gupkar Road Srinagar for filing of objections by or before April 16.
Meantime, Justice Tashi directed the authorities to consider his bail on the basis of averments made in the application more particularly having regard to health ground and submit the report on next date of hearing.
Sagar along with main petition has moved an application seeking that in view of the peculiar circumstances in the light of rising number of COVID-19 cases in Kashmir valley, he may be put under house arrest and quarantined at his home only so that there is least chance of his exposure to viral infection.
Sagar has been under continuous detention since 6-08-2019 and has been detained under the Public Safety Act vide order of detention dated 5-2-2020 on the basis of various grounds of detention which the petitioner submits are stale, cryptic, vexatious and irrelevant having no bearing upon the conduct and activities of the petitioner.
It is submitted in the petitioner that he is an old aged person suffering from various old age related diseases such as Hypertension, orthopaedic ailments etc as also is suffering from severe Cardio Vascular Ailment which has been developed by the petitioner during his detention. “The petitioner was operated upon for angiography twice at SKIMS Soura during his detention”, reads the petition.
It is submitted that he has pre-existing serious medical conditions as such he is most susceptible to corona virus infection (Covid-19) which has been declared as pandemic by the World Health Organization.
Apart from shifting plea detention order of Sagar has also been sought to be quashed by the court on the ground pleaded in the petition.
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