SC seeks reply of Centre, J-K on plea of Congress leader Soz’s wife against his house detention

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File photo of the Supreme Court.

New Delhi, June 8: The Supreme Court on Monday sought response from the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir administration on a plea of former Union minister and senior Congress leader Saifuddin Soz’s wife challenging his house arrest since August 5 last year.

A bench headed by Justices Arun Mishra issued notices to the Centre and the J-K administration asking them to respond by second week of July to the plea of Mumtazunnisa Soz, wife of the octogenarian leader.

Mumtazunnisa has also sought the production of veteran leader before the court and the quashing of the house arrest order.

She had alleged that till date the reasons for the detention has not been supplied to them and they were unable to challenge the arrest under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act.

This makes “his detention not only illegal, mala fide and unconstitutional, but also extremely appalling”, she said.

Soz was put under house arrest after the Centre had abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution granting special status to Jammu and Kashmir. PTI