Srinagar: A legal plea has been lodged in the High Court of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) for the release of Senior Advocate Nazir Ahmad Ronga, detained under the Public Safety Act (PSA) since last month.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the habeas corpus petition filed by Ronga’s wife, Bilquees Ronga, challenges the validity of his detention, asserting that the allegations against him are baseless and maliciously fabricated. Advocate BA Khan, representing the case, argued that the detention was spiteful and violated procedural norms set by the Supreme Court in the DK Basu guidelines on arrest and detention.

The petition also demands compensation of Rs 6 million, citing unlawful detention and alleged torture, which it claims infringed Ronga’s fundamental rights and damaged his professional standing. The High Court is slated to review the petition on September 18, 2024.

Ronga, who was arrested from his home in Srinagar during the early hours of July 11 and subsequently transferred to Kot Bhalwal jail in Jammu, has a history of detention under the PSA, including a previous arrest in 2023 related to protests against the revocation of Article 370.