J&K Govt denies allegations that NC Leader Hilal Akbar Lone is under illegal detention; tells HC that security detail is to protect Lone

The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Friday told the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir that the allegations of National Conference Leader Hilal Akbar Lone being illegally detention are false, frivolous and baseless. .The administration has denied having violated revoked detention orders and maintained that they are functioning strictly with the parameters of law..The submissions were made before a Bench of Justice Ali Mohammad Magray in response to a plea filed through Advocates Shuja-ul-Haq and TA Lone, alleging that Hilal Akbar Lone has been kept in illegal house detention since June 18. .The Jammu and Kashmir administration, however, asserted that there was no detention as being alleged and that the government has complied with the order to release Lone from PSA custody. .Rather, the government told the Court that Lone is a "protected person" and therefore there will always be police personnel around him. These personnel act as security cover so as to fend off any possible attack on Lone, the administration said. .On this aspect, the Court recorded the submissions made by the J&K administration that,."Security personnel are also deployed at his residence. The security personnel acting as his PSOs and residential guard together may not be understood as his having been taken into any kind of custody. It is empathically denied that currently, any detention order is in force against him. The answering respondents are functioning strictly with the parameters of law.".A report to this effect was filed by the administration through the Inspector General of Political (IGP), Kashmir..On the other hand, the petitioner submitted that he was arrested by police station Sumbal on August 10 last year soon after the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution. The Court was informed that he was lodged at SKICC which was converted into a sub-jail till November 2019. .While in detention, Lone was booked under the Public Safety Act (PSA) on February 9 this year. The detention order was subsequently revoked on June 18..However, it is claimed that Lone was not released and instead shifted to his residence at Tulsibagh Srinagar where he continues to be under illegal and unauthorized detention since June 18..On behalf of Lone, it was submitted that the petitioner was a reputed advocate practising in the Jammu and Kashmir High Court since 2001. The Court was informed that Lone has served the erstwhile J&K state as a deputy advocate general and an additional advocate general..They submitted further that Lone's father had earlier won Parliamentary elections from the Baramulla constituency in May 2019. As such, it has been argued that Lone's detention was based on the premise that he was the probable candidate for the National Conference in future elections..On Friday, the counsel for the petitioner sought time to respond to the report filed by the administration. The Court was informed that the counsel was unable to view a copy of the report owing to connectivity issues. The Court, therefore, adjourned the case to be heard next on Monday, August 17..The plea by Lone also makes a prayer for compensation for the alleged illegal detention..Read the Order: