Omar sacks J-K Addl AG

The Omar Abdullah Government late on Thursday evening sacked Jammu and Kashmir Additional Advocate General Syed Riyaz Hussain who was representing the government in the Shopian double rape-cum-murder case. The decision comes at a time when the High Court is in the middle of a hearing on the bail applications of the four arrested police officers.

It came as a news to me. I was called by the Law Secretary at 9.30 pm, said Hussain. I was in the middle of my argument. The court heard the case (of the bails of the four officers) till 4.30 pm. The defence lawyer had concluded his arguments. I was told by the court that arguments would resume at 10.30 am tomorrow. Hussain said the Advocate General told him he too had no information about the decision.

Earlier in the day,the court asked the state government to prove a direct link between the jailed policemen and the crime. Hearing the bail plea of the four policemen accused of playing a role in the destruction of evidence,the court of Justice Sunil Hali said mere incompetence did not constitute the ground for keeping them behind bars. Hussain told the court that the four policemen had failed to act promptly when the murders took place and had a role in the destruction of evidence.