Journalist Alleges Harassment At The Hands Of Police: Jammu & Kashmir And Ladakh HC Issues Notice to J&K Administration

The Jammu & Kashmir And Ladakh High Court recently issued notice to the UT J&K Administration on a plea by a Journalist alleging harassment at the hands of the police.

The Bench of Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey issued notice to the administration and the police officials observing thus:

"...citizen of this Country has come before the Court with a serious complaint against the police officers, who are stated to be involved in harassment and threatening to the petitioner and his family without any reason, logic, or justification."

The matter in brief

Petitioner Iftikhar Rasheed, a journalist by profession, alleged harassment and threat from the police authorities stating all the facts, which led to the harassment of the petitioner, not only to him but to his family as well.

Further, it was stated that the petitioner was having some issues regarding money transition with few persons including police personnel's namely Gh. Mohammad (SPO), Haroon Rashid (SPO), and Mohammad Iqbal Wani (owner of a jewelry shop), had arisen a few months before.

Further, it was alleged that at the behest of the aforesaid persons, he was being harassed by the police without any reasons and legal justification.

It was also averred in the writ petition that they had made the life of the petitioner and his family miserable by raiding the house of the petitioner and calling again and again in the police stations and forcing him to make payments towards the above-named persons.

Calling it a violation of the right to liberty as guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution, the petitioner moved the High Court.

Importantly, he submitted before the Court that he had directly approached the Court as there was no police complaint authority at the district level which could deal with his complaint against the officers of and up to the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police and State Authority to look into the complaints against officers of the rank of Superintendent of Police and above.

Court's order

Consequently, noting that no one can take such a step of approaching the Court on the basis of incorrect threats/allegations, the Court, prima facie believing the petitioner, issued the notices.

As an interim measure, the Court also directed that there shall be no harassment to the petitioner and his family and in the event any matter needs action, the same shall be done in accordance with the law.

Case title - Iftikhar Rasheed v. Union Territory of JK & Ors.

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