New Delhi: Two Hurriyat Conference associates have been released from jail after a Delhi court accepted the Centre's plea of withdrawing cases against them in view of the ongoing peace process in Jammu and Kashmir.

G M Sheikh and Saifuddin Bhat were set free last night (May 1, 2004) from the high security Tihar Jail after Additional Sessions Judge R K Yadav accepted the Government's request to withdraw cases against them of allegedly waging war against the nation.

"They have been released and they have also left for Srinagar", Defence counsel V K Ohri said.

The court had sought documentary proof of the Centre's decision on prosecution's application seeking withdrawal of cases against them on the ground that their release would "result in creating a better atmosphere" in the ongoing peace initiative in Kashmir.

The decision to withdraw cases against the separatist leaders was taken by the Centre in consultation with the State Government after the Hurriyat Conference raised the issue of the release of Sheikh and Bhat and two others during meetings with Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani on January 22 and March 27.

Government has taken the move under Section 321 of the Criminal Procedure Code which provides for withdrawal of cases in the national interest, official sources said.

Sheikh and Bhat were arrested on July 31 last year for allegedly receiving Rs 10 lakh from an ISI agent for fire-brand Jamaat-e-Islami leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

Besides the two, the Government has also decided to withdraw POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act) cases against two other Hurriyat associates Shabir Dar and Ghulam Mohiudeen alias Raja Haider and the case would come up for hearing on May 5 before the designated Judge J M Malik.

Dar and Mohiuddin have been booked under POTA for aiding and abetting militancy in Jammu and Kashmir.

The release of the four Hurriyat associates also came up for discussion at a meeting chaired by Centre's interlocutor on Kashmir N N Vohra earlier this week.

The Centre has so far release 85 people who were booked under Public Safety Act. Of them 16 were released recently after the second round of talks between Hurriyat Conference and the Centre.