SC issues notice to Centre on MDMK leader Vaiko's plea for release of Farooq Abdullah

Supreme Court issued a notice to Centre on Monday while hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by MDMK General Secretary Vaiko seeking production of former Jammu and Kashmir CM Farooq Abdullah, who has reportedly been under house arrest in Srinagar since August 5 when Article 370 was abrogated by Centre.

In his plea, Vaiko has said that the veteran leader has agreed to attend the function to mark 111th birth anniversary of Annadurai in Chennai on September 15 but he has been unable to get in touch with Farooq Abdullah because he has been under illegal detention since August 5. Vaiko also mentioned in his petition that he had also urged the Jammu and Kashmir administration to allow him to meet the National Conference leader but he did not receive any reply from their side. Vaiko also urged the SC to issue a notice to the Centre and order the government to release Farooq Abdullah from 'illegal' detention.

During the hearing, Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi asked the government if Farooq Abdullah is under any kind of detention. To, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who represented the government, said that he will get the instruction in this matter. SG Mehta also said that Vaiko has no locus standi to file a habeas corpus plea in this matter because he is not a family member of Farooq Abdullah.

It may be recalled that on August 6, Abdullah had accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of lying in Parliament, asserting that he is under house arrest and not staying inside his home at his will.

"You can see I forced myself outside to talk to you. The home ministry is lying in Parliament that I'm not under house arrest. Why will I sit in my house when my state is getting burned, when my people are being executed in jails and punished. This is not the India I believe in. India is a democratic India, a secular India. This is totally undemocratic," also said Abdullah. 

Earlier, Shah had said in Parliament that he was not under arrest and was in good health.  "I have made it clear thrice, Farooq Abdullah is at his home, he is not under house arrest, he is not under detention. He is in good health. Unko nahi ana hai toh gun kanpatti par rakh kar bahar nahi la sakte hum. (If he doesn't want to come, can't force him on gunpoint to be present in Parliament.)," Shah had said.