LAHORE, March 22: A review board comprising three judges of the Lahore High Court accepted the provincial government plea for continued detention of Jaish-i-Muhammad leader Maulana Masood Azhar but ordered that he be lodged in his house at Bahawalpur, which should be declared a sub-jail.

The government, in the meanwhile, would pay the detenu’s dependents Rs10,000 per month for their subsistence. A similar order was passed in favour of Sipah-i-Sahaba chief Maulana Azam Tariq’s family.

The Jaish chief was brought to the Lahore High Court from Mianwali Jail amid stringent security. He was produced before the review board comprising Justices Karamat Nazir Bhandari, Mian Najauzzaman and Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry. A home department deputy secretary represented the government. The detenu told the board that he was taken into custody on Nov 27, 2001, and not on Dec 25 as stated by the relevant notification. The board accepted his plea for provision of facilities available in a sub-jail.