HC quashes Masrat's detention

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Friday quashed the detention of hardline separatist leader Masrat Alam Bhat under Public Safety Act (PSA).

Justice Hasnain Masoodi, who had earlier reserved the order on the petition filed by Masrat’s counsel, quashed the PSA detention of the separatist leader. “The detention order of Masrat Alam issued by the state government under the PSA is quashed and the detailed order would follow,” Justice Masoodi announced in open court in Srinagar.

Masrat, detained under the PSA on April 18, two days after Pakistani flags were displayed and anti-national slogans raised at a reception rally held in Srinagar for Hurriyat hawk Syed Ali Geelani, had challenged his detention order in the high court. The Jammu and Kashmir Police had registered a case under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against Masrat, Geelani and other separatist leaders present at the rally. Masrat was arrested on April 17 and subsequently detained under PSA.

45-year-old Masrat, who was instrumental in triggering 2010 stone pelting agitation in which more than 100 people were killed, was released in March on the orders of PDP patriarch and Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.