MP VAIKO MOVES HABEAS PLEA TO GET FAROOQ RELEASED

NEW DELHI: Marumalrchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) chief and Rajya Sabha MP Vaiko on Wednesday moved a habeas corpus petition in the Supreme Court seeking a direction to produce former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah, who since the abrogation of Article 370 has been under house arrest in Srinagar, before the court.

NEW DELHI: Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) leader Vaiko on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court seeking production of former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah, who has reportedly been under house arrest in Srinagar since August 5 when the Centre scrapped Article 370 that gave special status to J&k. vaiko filed a habeas corpus [literally means, produce the body] petition for enforcement of fundamental right under Articles 19 [freedom of speech and expression] and 21[ right to liberty]. Filed through advocate Lakshmi Ramamurthy, the petition is yet to be listed for a formal hearing. The petition said National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah was to participate in the birth anniversary celebrations of late Tamil Nadu chief minister, CN Annadurai, also the founder of the Dravidian movement, on September 15. His participation has, however, become uncertain because of his alleged detention by the central government. He had attended previous editions of conference, which Vaiko said, is annual event. J&K has been under undeclared lockdown since August 5 after Centre diluted special status extended to the state under Article 370 followed by division of state into two Union Territories.