29.10.2011 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir High Court Chief Justice K M Kalifullah has turned down the request of the state government to depute a sitting High Court judge for holding judicial inquiry into the custodial death of National Conference activist Mohammad Yousuf Shah.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had ordered a judicial probe into the custodial death of Yousuf who was considered to be very close to him.

The J&K High Court Chief Justice has refused to spare a sitting HC judge in view of the Supreme Court judgement that no sitting Supreme Court or High Court judge should be spared for judicial inquiry.

The state government has, however, claimed that they are still pursuing the matter of judicial inquiry with the state High Court.

All opposition parties in the state including PDP are demanding CBI probe into the death of Yousuf who had allegedly died following torture at the official residence of the CM. UNI