PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti released from detention after 14 months

SRINAGAR: Peoples Democratic Party chief and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti was released on Tuesday after remaining in detention for over 14 months since the scrapping of Article 370 on August 5 last year.

The government revoked the detention in exercise of powers conferred under Section 19(1) of the J&K Public Safety Act, 1978, as per an order issued by state’s principal secretary Shaleen Kabra.

Mehbooba is the last among the three former chief ministers and other mainstream leaders to be released. She was initially lodged at the government guesthouse at Cheshma Shahi and after the onset of winter last year, was shifted to a government accommodation at Maulana Azad Road near Lal Chowk at city centre.

In April, she was shifted to her Gupkar residence, which was converted into a sub jail. On February 5 this year, Mehbooba was booked under the Public Safety Act . She was among the dozen mainstream leaders including former CMs Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah to be booked under the stringent PSA.

However, with the improvement in ground situation, authorities had released all other mainstream leaders.

Taking to Twitter for the first time since her release, Mufti tweeted an audio clip with a black backdrop expressing dismay and anger against the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

After being released from fourteen long months of illegal detention, a small message for my people. pic.twitter.com/gIfrf82Thw

— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) October 13, 2020

Her elated daughter Iltija expressed happiness that her mother was finally released from detention, which she alleged was "illegal, unlawful and a complete traversity of justice".

"I now hope that other youths who have been detained for over a year in various jails in and outside the state are also released soon," Iltija told PTI.

She also signed off from her mother's Twitter handle with a tweet: "As Ms Mufti's illegal detention finally comes to an end, I'd 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."

Other political leaders also hailed her 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,” tweeted Omar.

Mehbooba, president of People's Democratic Party (PDP), was arrested on the eve of abrogation of special status to Jammu and Kashmir and its bifurcation into two Union Territories on August 5 last year.

Omar and his father Farooq Abdullah had also been detained under the PSA but were released in March this year.

(With Agency inputs)