The Supreme Court issued a notice to the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Friday on a plea filed by Sara Abdullah Pilot challenging the detention of her brother and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah under the Public Safety Act.
On which, Sara Abdullah Pilot told news agency ANI, "We were hopeful that,as this is a habeas corpus case, that the relief would be sooner. But we have full faith in the justice system. We're here because we want that all Kashmiris should have the same rights as all citizen of India & we're waiting for that day."
A bench, comprising Justices Arun Mishra and Indira Banerjee, said it would hear on March 2 Pilot's plea challenging Abdullah's detention. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal appeared for Pilot in the apex court. Pilot had on Monday approached the top court challenging her brother's detention under the Public Safety Act, saying the detention order was "manifestly illegal" and there was no question of him being a "threat to the maintenance of public order".
Sara Abdullah Pilot, in the petition, said when her brother's release was imminent, "the petitioner has shockingly learnt about his new detention under the provisions of the Public Safety Act (under which their father also remains detained), which could have no application to one who has anyway been in custody over several months in a state that was under a complete lockdown."
Sara has urged the apex court to issue writ in the nature of Habeas Corpus commanding the authorities concerned to produce "the person of the detenue forthwith before this Hon'ble Court for being set at liberty."
Sara contended that apart from the obvious fact that her brother had disagreement with the policies of the Centre, it is a lawful right of a citizen in a democracy (especially to a member of the opposition), it is submitted that all such observations were not supported by any material whether in the form of social media posts or otherwise.
"There exists overwhelming evidence in the form of tweets and public statements made by the detenue prior to this detention that point towards the exemplary conduct of the detenue wherein the detenue as a votary of peace and public order and has repeatedly requested general people to maintain peace and tranquillity," said Sara in her petition.
