JKHC sends back bail pleas of former ministers to lower court

Srinagar, July 3 (UNI) The Jammu and Kashmir High Court today referred back to the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Srinagar the bail applications of former ministers and sitting legislators Ghulam Ahmed Mir and Raman Mattoo arrested by the CBI in connection with the sex racket case.

The bail applications of the two former ministers and Jammu and Kashmir Police DSP Mohammad Ashraf Mir came up before a division bench, comprising Justice Bashir Ahmed Kirmani and Justice Hakim Imtiyaz Hussain, today.

The bench gave special powers to CJM, Srinagar Mohammad Yousuf Akhoon to hear and decide about the bail applications of the sex racket accused.

The bail pleas of the sex racket accused had been referred to the division bench by the CJM, Srinagar on June 23.

Mir, a former Minister of State for Roads and Buildings and a Congress legislator from Dooru in Anantnag district, was arrested by the CBI from the Jammu and Kashmir House at Chanakyapuri in New Delhi on June 20.

Mattoo, a former Minister of State for Industries and Commerce and an independent legislator from Habba Kadal in Srinagar, was also arrested by the CBI from his residence at Gupkar here on June 20.

Mir was the first person to be arrested by the CBI in connection with the sex scandal.

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court, which is monitoring the investigations conducted by the CBI into the sex racket case, in its directions on May 15 had ordered that any bail application for release of any seized person or articles should not be disposed of by any court unless brought to the notice of the division bench.

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