Clarion India
SRINAGAR – The Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday extended the detention of former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti under the stringent law Public Safety Act (PSA) for another three months.
An order issued by Principal Secretary, Home, Shaleen Kabra, said that in order to prevent her from acting in any manner prejudicial to maintenance of public order, the government directs that the period of detention of Mehbooba Mufti under the PSA be extended for a further period of three months and she may be lodged in subsidiary jail, Fairview, on Gupkar Road here.
Fairview, which was Mehbooba Mufti’s official residence as the Chief Minister, has been declared as a subsidiary jail and she has been lodged there. Mufti has been under house arrest since the special status of the Jammu and Kashmir has been revoked.
The extension in her detention period comes on a day the authorities lifted house arrest restrictions on Peoples Conference leader and former minister, Sajad Gani Lone.
Mehbooba Mufti, the leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, was arrested along with two other Chief Ministers, Dr Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah on August 5, 2019 when the Constitution’s Articles 370 and 35A were abrogated and the state bifurcated and downgraded into two Union Territories. Both the Abdullahs have since been released.
The extension of her detention drew outrage from her daughter Iltija Mufti. From the twitter handle of her mother, she expressed her anger over it.
“Id (would) like to confirm media reports that Ms Mufti’s PSA has been extended until November,2020. The petition challenging her unlawful detention has been pending in SC since 26th February. Where does one seek justice?,” Iltija tweeted.
Id like to confirm media reports that Ms Mufti’s PSA has been extended until November,2020. The petition challenging her unlawful detention has been pending in SC since 26th February. Where does one seek justice?
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) July 31, 2020
(With inputs from IANS)
