HC grants interim bail to Mian Qayoom

Ahmad Mukhtar:

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Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir High Court Friday granted interim bail up to January 21 next to High Court Bar Association president, advocate Mian Qayoom in FIR registered against him in Jammu. The court of Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir also transferred the bail plea to Sessions Judge Kathua who take-up the matter on January 5. “The High Court has also directed for two sureties of one lakh each to be accorded by the Kathua Court,” advocate Manzoor Ahmad Dar, senior KHBA member and counsel for Mian Qayoom said. On December 13 last, the Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir had reserved its order on bail plea after arriving here from Jammu to Srinagar to hear the plea exclusively following the refusal by two judges previously. Pertinently, on December 11, Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir had declined to hear the proceeding of the bail plea on the grounds that Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir had already reserved orders on 561 proceedings, calling for quashing of FIR. On December 6 last, Justice J P Singh expressed inability to hear the plea citing similar reason. Advocate Mian Abdul Qayoom is under custody in an FIR under section 497 CRpC registered against him at police station Hiranagar. The Bar association had maintain that the bail and quashment of FIR were separate motion and could have been heard separately. Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir had already reserved orders on quashing of FIR against bar president.