Srinagar, Dec 14, KONS: The Jammu and Kashmir High Court today directed the superintendent and the medical officer of the Tihar Jail in Delhi to inspect the grave-site of JKLF founder, Muhammad Maqbool Butt, and submit an affidavit within six weeks.

During a hearing on Thursday, Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir heard arguments from Mian Abdul Qayoom and counsel for the central government, Shabir Ahmad Naik, and directed the Tihar jail superintendent and medical officer to visit jail number 8 and inspect the grave-site of executed separatist leader, Muhammad Maqbool Bhat.

The court ordered the two officers to submit an affidavit within 6 months about the present condition of the grave.

The next hearing of the case has been fixed after two weeks.

In a hearing yesterday, the president of the High Court Bar Association, Mian Abdul Qayoom, had drawn the court’s attention towards a book written by journalist Iftikhar Geelani where the writer has said that Maqbool’s grave had been dismantled and constructions were coming up at the site.

Raising several objections to the affidavit filed by the additional secretary, Qayoom had insisted that Geelani’s account was correct and demanded that the mortal remains of Muhammad Maqbool Bhat be handed over to his family.

(The demand for shifting Maqbool’s remains to his native land is being voiced by the JKLF and several other political groups).

The counsel for the central government had, however, said that Geelani’s allegations about the grave having been dismantled and covered with new construction were baseless.