South Asia Human Rights Journalist Association

Srinagar, June 13, 3014 : The family members of Public Safety Act (PSA) detainee Wasim Bashir Sofi through their counsel 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 the correct age.
Wasim Bashir Sofi resident of  Dangarpora, Pulwama, was  arrested by police in April this year for participating in pro- freedom demonstrations and clashes with Indian police, what police reported against . The authorities booked him under draconian law Public Safety Act and he was shifted to District Kathua Jail. Soon after his arrest, his family said that he was a minor while police contested the claim, saying his age would be verified. The records of Government Boys Middle School Washbugh Pulwama shows the date of birth of Wasim Bashir Sofi as 2/9/1998  (date of birth as 9 February 1998). 
Advocate Shafqat Hussain, the counsel of the detained youth, told media men that Justice Virender Singh while disposing the case on May 20 had directed the Home Department of Kashmir on May 20 this year to shift the minor from Kathua Jail to Juvenile jail in Srinagar but the order was not acted upon.

“We have filed a contempt charge against the Home Department in Jammu and Kashmir High Court. and will pursue the matter till Wasim is shifted from District Jail Kathua to Juvenile Home in Srinagar,”  Advocate Shafqat said.  
Meanwhile, the mother of Wasim, Shakeela Bano said that an unknown person is continuously approaching her demanding Rs 30,000 in exchange of her son’s release from Kathua Jail. “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 can’t afford that sum otherwise I would have paid him,” she adding that her son was arrested for misbehaving with a particular police officer.