New Delhi, May 9 (H.S.): The two sons of Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin, who are imprisoned in Tihar Jail, have approached the Delhi High Court demanding the restoration of phone facilities. A bench headed by Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyay has ordered this petition to be listed alongside a similar pending case. The next hearing of the matter is scheduled for May 22.

The petitioners include Syed Salahuddin's sons Syed Ahmed Shakeel and Syed Shahid Yusuf. Both were arrested by the NIA in connection with a case involving terror funding and money transactions through hawala. They have challenged the jail administration’s order that terminated their phone facilities. The petition contests Rule 631 of the Delhi Jail Rules, which provides for the prohibition of phone calls from jail in consideration of public safety. Under this provision, only the jail superintendent has the authority to grant phone facilities to an accused on an exceptional basis, but the superintendent must also obtain permission from an officer of the rank of DIG.

An FIR was registered against both accused in 2011 concerning terror funding. The NIA arrested Syed Ahmed Shakeel on August 30, 2018, while Syed Shahid Yusuf was arrested in 2017. The NIA's charge sheet alleges that both gathered funds from the terrorist organization Hizbul Mujahideen through hawala to carry out terrorist activities. Syed Salahuddin has been declared a global terrorist by the United States, and he is the head of Hizbul Mujahideen in Kashmir.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar