Following submission by the petitioner lawyer that the Handwara minor girl, who is at the centre of a controversy involving an alleged molestation bid by an Army man, does not need security, the J&K High Court today asked the parents of the minor girl to file an undertaking indicating that they don’t need government protection.
The court, however, reserved its final orders in the main writ petition filed by the girl’s mother even as the state government today made a statement that it had no objection to the court directions for taking off security of the girl and her father. Following protests over the alleged molestation bid, five civilians were killed in Handwara and Kupwara in security forces firing between April 12 and 15.
Taja Begum’s petition, alleging that her daughter and husband were taken into illegal custody and forced to make statements under duress, came up for hearing before a special bench of Justices Mohammad Yaqoob Mir and Ali Mohammad Magrey today.
The bench asked petitioner lawyer Parvez Imroz why he is before the court, to which he replied that the instant petition had been filed by the minor girl’s biological mother, who is concerned about her safety.
At this juncture, the bench pointed to the application by the girl’s father seeking protective custody.
“The statement of the girl and her father has been recorded under duress. Her father’s signatures on the application have been forged. She does not need protection,” the petitioner lawyer submitted.
“Let the father or the mother file an affidavit that she (girl) does not need any protection. We will consider,” the bench said, while reserving its final orders in the main petition.
Earlier, senior Additional Advocate General NA Beigh submitted that security to the girl was provided at the instance of her father. “The state has no objections to the orders of the court for taking off the security,” he said.
HC wants girl’s parents to file undertaking on govt protection in Handwara case
