Delhi HC to hear Payal Abdullah's plea for retaining Lutyen residence

New Delhi, Aug. 19 (ANI): The Delhi High Court will on Friday hear a plea of Payal Abdullah, the estranged wife of former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah to retain the official residence or get an alternate government accommodation on security grounds. On Tuesday, Payal failed to get any relief from a Delhi court which directed her to vacate the bungalow in Lutyen's Zone where she has been living since 1999. On the last date of hearing on August 12, the high court had extended till August 16 the interim protection from eviction granted on July 12. However, on August 16 when the matter came before Justice Indermeet Kaur, Payal's counsel sought an adjournment and it was renotifed for hearing on August 19. She had also approached the trial court seeking stay of the June 30 eviction order issued by the estate officer of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, contending that the order was passed without allowing her to lead evidence and without granting her any personal hearing. While Payal enjoys a 'Z' category security cover, each of her sons has 'Z' plus security, comprising of a total 94 personnel. She has claimed that so many personnel, their weapons and other security arrangements cannot be accommodated at her private flat in the city. With regard to the Centre and the state's claim that the 7, Akbar Road bungalow was meant for the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, she has told the high court that it was allotted to her husband from 1999 onwards and was never cancelled, even when he was not an MP or an MLA. (ANI)