Jammu and Kashmir High Court Nullifies Journalist's Detention under PSA
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Synopsis
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has annulled the detention order of journalist Majid Hyderi under the Public Safety Act. The ruling followed a contentious legal debate, and Hyderi had been detained on allegations of extortion and defamation. The court's decision marks a significant moment in the ongoing legal battles surrounding freedom of expression in the region.
Key Takeaways
- High Court of Jammu and Kashmir quashes detention order.
- Journalist Majid Hyderi detained under PSA on extortion charges.
- Legal proceedings followed a contentious debate.
- Advocate Mian Qayoom also challenges his detention.
- Investigation ongoing regarding Babar Qadri's murder.
Srinagar, Feb 19 (NationPress) The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh on Wednesday nullified the detention order of journalist Majid Hyderi under the Public Safety Act (PSA).
Justice V.K. Chatterjee ruled to invalidate Hyderi's detention, as confirmed by the petitioner’s legal representative to the media.
In September 2023, Majid Hyderi was detained under the PSA on allegations of extortion and defamation, subsequently being held at the Kot Balwal jail in Jammu. After a contentious debate from both parties, the court rendered its decision today.
In a separate matter, the high court rejected a petition from senior advocate Mian Qayoom, who contested his PSA detention order. Qayoom was taken into custody on June 25, 2024, amidst the inquiry into the murder of advocate Babar Qadri.
Qadri was fatally shot in his residence in the Hawal neighborhood of Srinagar in 2020. Prior to his death, he had accused Mian Qayoom of orchestrating a plot against him.
A special investigation team (SIT) later claimed it possessed sufficient evidence to apprehend Mian Qayoom concerning Babar Qadri's murder.
On December 19, 2024, the police's Special Investigation Agency (SIA) presented a supplementary chargesheet against the 80-year-old Mian Abdul Qayoom, a former president of the High Court Bar Association-Kashmir (HCBA-K), asserting it had both documentary and technical evidence linking him to the murder of lawyer Babar Qadri in 2020.
The SIA submitted the new chargesheet to the Additional Sessions Judge in Jammu.
“The comprehensive investigation carried out by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) unveiled that Qayoom, who had a hostile relationship with the deceased, facilitated Babar Qadri's assassination via terrorists from TRF (The Resistance Front) and their associates in Pakistan through a criminal conspiracy,” stated the SIA.
The police's specialized unit indicated that Qadri had been an outspoken young lawyer, who not only challenged Qayoom’s authority at the HCBA-K but also harshly criticized him multiple times for exploiting the platform to advance his secessionist agenda.
