Delhi HC seeks Centre’s response in habeas corpus petition to release Shah Faesal

The Delhi High Court today sought the Central Government’s response in a habeas corpus petition seeking the release of bureaucrat-turned-politician from Jammu and Kashmir, Shah Faesal..The matter was heard by a Division Judge Bench headed by Justices Manmohan after it was mentioned for urgent hearing before Chief Justice DN Patel..Seeking a response from the Centre, the Court posted the matter for further hearing on August 23..Shah Faesal, who has been critical of the Central Government’s move to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution of India, was reportedly detained at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on the intervening night of August 14-15 under the Public Safety Act..He was thereafter taken to Kashmir and reportedly accommodated in a makeshift detention centre at the Centaur Hotel in Srinagar..In his petition filed before the Court, Shah Faesal has submitted that he was “illegally picked up” from the airport when he was on his way to complete his fellowship at Harvard University, USA..It is claimed that the circumstances of his illegal custody and his detention “effectively amount to abduction”. Shah Faesal has stated that no transit remand was sought in Delhi before he was “illegally whisked away to Kashmir against his wishes”..The Court was also informed that Shah Faesal was neither made aware of the charges against him, nor was an arrest memo or seizure memo or any other document provided..Apart from Faesal, several other political leaders from Jammu & Kashmir, including former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah are currently under detention and house arrest since August 4..Shah Faesal was represented by Advocate Warisha Farasat..In his interview to the BBC, Shah Faesal had remarked that Central Government’s move to take away Jammu & Kashmir’s special status was a “betrayal”.