Contempt plea to be filed by kin in Allahabad HC if Dr Kafeel Khan not released from jail

The court on Tuesday morning had ordered the release of the Gorakhpur doctor and quashed his detention under the stringent National Security Act (NSA). The doctor was arrested in January for an alleged provocative speech during an anti-CAA protest at Aligarh Muslim University in December last year.

Mathura jail Senior Superintendent Shailendra Kumar Maitreya on Tuesday evening said he is yet to receive the court orders.

Khan's brother Adeel claimed that the jail administration told them that they will go by the order of the Mathura district magistrate and until the DM says, Kafeel will not be released.

Read Also: Hearing on plea challenging Dr Kafeel Khan's detention adjourned till Aug 27

Adeel claimed that after the High Court gave the order, an e-mail informing about the release of Khan was sent to the jail administration and the DMs of Mathura and Aligarh, but the authorities are "making an excuse" of not getting the order.

If Kafeel is not released from the jail, then we will file a contempt appeal in the High Court on Wednesday, he said.

Meanwhile, District Magistrate Mathura Sarvagya Ram Mishra said orders of the court will be complied with.

"Since, the NSA was imposed on Kafeel by the Aligarh district magistrate, he should be contacted," Mishra said.

Irfan Ghazi, advocate of Kafeel, alleged that the Aligarh DM is not meeting him on the pretext of attending a meeting or other, despite hours of efforts made by him.

Despite repeated efforts by the PTI, Aligarh DM Chandra Bhushan Singh could not be contacted for comments.

Khan was earlier granted bail in February. However, he was not released and the National Security Act (NSA) was invoked against him.

Read Also: Police round up protestors, demanding Dr. Kafeel Khan's release, outside UP Bhawan