Srinagar: PDP president and former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti was set free on Tuesday after being in preventive detention for more than 14 months following the abrogation of Article 370 last year.
“In exercise of powers conferred under section 19(1) of the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978, the Government hereby revokes the detention order bearing No. DMS / PSA / 147 / 2020 dated 05-02-2020 issued by District Magistrate. Srinagar which was last extended for a period of three months vide Government Order No. Home / PB-V / 1449 of 2020 dated 31-07-2020 of Ms. Mehbooba Mufti D/o Late Mufti Mohd Sayed R/o Bijbehara A/P Nowgam, Srinagar, with immediate effect,” reads an order issued by the government on Tuesday.
Earlier, JK government spokesman Rohit Kansal tweeted about PDP President’s release.
Mehbooba Mufti, who became the first woman chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir in 2016 as head of the PDP-BJP alliance, was arrested along with other leaders hours before Centre bifurcated the state into two union territories and abrogated its semi autonomous status.
She was first detained under Sections 107 and 151 of CrPC but later booked under the controversial Public Safety Act.
Initially, Mehbooba was lodged at Cheshma Shahi guest house and then shifted to another government guest house at M A Link Road here.
The PDP president was then taken to her residence where she remained under house arrest.
Mehbooba’s daughter, Iltija, had challenged her detention in the Supreme Court, which last heard the case on September 29.
Former chief ministers and National Conference leaders Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah were released in March after over seven months in detention.
Meanwhile, Omar Abdullah took to Twitter to welcome Mehbooba’s release.
“I’m pleased to hear that @MehboobaMufti Sahiba has been released after more than a year in detention. Her continued detention was a travesty & was against the basic tenets of democracy. Welcome out Mehbooba,” Omar tweeted.
I’m pleased to hear that @MehboobaMufti Sahiba has been released after more than a year in detention. Her continued detention was a travesty & was against the basic tenets of democracy. Welcome out Mehbooba.
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) October 13, 2020
Iltija Relieved
Itija Mufti who was managing the twitter handle of her incarcerated mother heaved a sigh of relief and tweeted: “As Ms Mufti’s illegal detention finally comes to an end, Id like to thank everybody who supported me in these tough times. I owe a debt of gratitude to you all. This is Iltija signing off. فی امان اﷲ. May allah protect you.”
As Ms Mufti’s illegal detention finally comes to an end, Id like to thank everybody who supported me in these tough times. I owe a debt of gratitude to you all. This is Iltija signing off. فی امان اﷲ May allah protect you
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) October 13, 2020
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