SC allows Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter to meet her

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed Iltija Javed, the daughter of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, to meet her mother.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi allowed Iltija Javed to visit Srinagar, provided she first takes permission from the concerned district authorities on the issue of moving freely in the city.

The court said that she can meet Mufti in private on a date of her choice.

Attorney General K.K. Venugopal and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, had opposed the plea, saying that she must approach the District Magistrate first.

The bench said that it is her privilege to move this forum. “What is the objection in her going to meet her mother?” the bench asked.

Iltija Javed, who is presently in Chennai, had claimed that her mother is under detention ever since the abrogation of Article 370 which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Iltija Javed said that she was deeply concerned about her mother’s health as she has been under detention for nearly a month now.

She told the court that she was not allowed to move around in Srinagar and meet her mother in private.

The government said if she approached the district magistrate, she would be allowed to visit Mufti.

The court also asked the Centre’s counsel that will they be standing in the way of a woman who wants to meet her mother, to which the counsel said ‘no’.

The counsel told the court that when she was in Srinagar last time, she was neither allowed to meet her mother nor move out of her house.

Updated on: Sep 5, 2019 at 14:40 IST  |  Published on: Sep 5, 2019 at 11:45 IST

IANS