KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Saturday directed the Superintendent of Police (SP) Handwara and Station House Officer (SHO) Handwara Police Station to declare the law and authority under which they have kept in police custody a minor girl, her father Muhammad Akbar Ganai and aunt Zaiba Begum.
The girl was allegedly molested by an army man, following which protests erupted in Handwara town of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Tuesday last.
Five civilians have died in forces action after the incident.
The police authorities have been directed not to produce the minor girl before the print and electronic media.
The court also asked these officials to produce the detained persons before the nearest court of Chief Judicial Magistrate/ Judicial Magistrate.
The petitioner, mother of the girl Taja Begum had approached the court with the contention that her minor daughter has been taken into illegal custody by the said authorities on 13 April 2016.
She also contended that her husband and sister have also been illegally detained by the said authorities.
In her petition, she also pleaded before the court that these persons have not committed any offence, a newspaper reported.
A bench, comprising Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar, after hearing the counsel, issued notice to the respondents asking them to file objection to the petition.
Meanwhile, the matter has been listed for further consideration on April 20, 2016.
Besides, the court has also issued notice to Additional advocate general of the state.
