New Delhi, September 8: The Apex Court of India today agreed to hear on September 14 a PIL for immediately stopping official funds to separatist elements in Jammu and Kashmir and ordering a CBI probe into the reported release of Rs 950 crore to such anti-national persons by the Centre and the state government in the past five years.
Advocate ML Sharma, the petitioner, sought an urgent hearing of his plea as it was illegal and unconstitutional to spend government funds on separatists who also received huge amounts from Pakistan and other countries to foment trouble in the sensitive border state.
“We share your feelings and others sitting here also have similar sentiments,” a Bench comprising Justices Anil R Dave, Adarsh Kumar Goel and L Nageswara Rao told Sharma and posted the case for hearing next week, subject to the petition being found in order by the Registry.
The petitioner said the funds were released without the approval of Parliament and even the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had failed to bring out this fact. The separatists who were responsible for the current unrest in the Valley could no way get state patronage in the form of travel, hotel and medical expenses, besides “Z” category security cover by 950 security personnel, he pleaded in the PIL.
The government had spent Rs 21 crore on their stay in luxury hotels and Rs 26.43 crore on their travel, he said citing official data and media reports.
Release of funds to such persons without Parliamentary approval and keeping the general public in the dark amounted to criminal breach of trust and corrupt practice, besides being unconstitutional, he contended. In the petition, Sharma has named the Centre, Jammu and Kashmir government and the CBI as respondents.
I col box in the new
Separatists enjoying on public exchequer
- 950 cr released to separatists in past five years
- 21 cr of this spent on their stay in luxury hotels
- 26 cr spent on their travel during five years
- 950 security personnel engaged in their security
- (*Source: PIL filed in SC)
