Minor booked under PSA

Srinagar: The family members of PSA detenue, Wasim Bashir Sofi have filed contempt charges against State Home Department for defying the court directions to shift Wasim from District Jail Kathua to Juvenile Home Srinagar after verifying his exact age.

Pertinently, Wasim Bashir Sofi resident of Dangarpora Pulwama was arrested by police in April on charges of stone pelting in the district. The authorities had booked him under Public Safety Act and he was shifted to District Jail Kathua. Soon after his arrest, his family claimed that Wasim is a minor while the police contested the family claims and said that the age of the arrested youth will be verified. The records of Government Boys Middle School Washbugh Pulwama mentioned the date of birth of Wasim Bashir Sofi as 2/9/1998.

Advocate Shfqat Hussain said that Justice Virender Singh while disposing of the case had directed the State Home Department on May 20 this year to shift the accused from Kathua to Juvenile jail Srinagar which it did not.

We have filed a contempt charge against the State Home Department in Jammu and Kashmir High Court. We will pursue the matter till Wasim is not shifted from District Jail Kathua to Juvenile Home Srinagar, Advocate Shafqat said.

Meanwhile, the mother of Wasim, Shakeela Bano alleged that an unknown person is continuously approaching her and is demanding Rs 30,000 in exchange of her sons release from Kathua Jail.

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We are highly thankful to SHO Pulwama for guiding us but a person who claims to be a police official is approaching us and is demanding Rs 30,000 from us to get Wasim released from the jail. I cant afford that sum otherwise I would have paid him, she said, adding that her son was arrested for misbehaving with a particular police officer. (CNS)

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