High Court of Jammu and Kashmir
11 July 2012. A Jammu and Kashmir high court described corruption as a “hydra-headed monster” eating into the vitals of economic and social fabric. Disposing of a writ petition, Justice Muzaffar Attar directed “the State of Jammu and Kashmir to take steps for amending the Prevention of Corruption Act or make new laws for retrieving the wealth and for confiscating properties which have been accumulated through corrupt practices.” Mohammad Amin Beigh, a resident of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, filed a petition to get his detention quashed under the Public Safety Act (PSA). A police investigation revealed that Beigh was involved in monetary and sexual exploitation of women under the pretext of providing them employment. Justice Attar dismissed the petition. Justice Attar said the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir as well as Constitution of India had guarantees of protection against exploitation of the fairer sex and upholding of their rights. “The court is not oblivious of the fact that providing such kind of protections and facilities depend upon the economic strength of the State. India is a rich country. Its material resources are immense. When the material resources of the State will be taken care of and dealt with honestly, it would definitely ensure that no person in this country would die because of hunger,” Justice Attar said in his 19-page order issued on Tuesday.
