Former J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti’s preventive detention extended by another 3 months

Former J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s preventive detention was extended for another three months on July 31, 2020 under Public Safety Act.  Her detention order was scheduled to expire on August 5.

According to the order issued by the Jammu and Kashmir administration, the PDP leader will continue to remain under detention for another three months at her official residence at Fairview Bungalow, which has been declared as a subsidiary jail.

Former Jammu & Kashmir CM Mehbooba Mufti's detention under Public Safety Act extended by three months
(file pic) pic.twitter.com/FEkoTdRKEA

— ANI (@ANI) July 31, 2020

Earlier today, People's Conference leader Sajjad Lone was released from house detention. He had also been detained under PSA act along with other mainline J&K leaders after the government revoked Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. Lone was initially detained at an MLA Hostel for six months then was shifted to his government accommodation at Church Lane on February 5. 

Jammu & Kashmir: People's Conference leader Sajjad Lone released from house detention.

He was detained after Centre abrogated Article 370 last year and was lodged at MLA Hostel for six months; was later shifted to his government accommodation at Church Lane on February 5, 2019.

— ANI (@ANI) July 31, 2020

Key Highlights

• Mehbooba Mufti is currently being kept under detention at her official residence 'Fair View', which has been converted into a subsidiary jail.

• The PDP leader was shifted to her home on April 7, providing partial relief to her. Prior to that, she spent over eight months in detention at two government facilities that were converted into sub-jails.

• She was initially detained in a government guesthouse in Chashma Shahi and then a bungalow on Maulana Azad Road near Lal Chowk.

• The other two senior J&K politicians, Ali Mohammed Sagar and Sartaj Madani, have been detained in a government accommodation at Gupkar road.

• The six-month preventive detention of all the three leaders along with Mufti’s political rival, former J&K CM Omar Abdullah was extended on February 5, 2020 and then later again on May 5 by invoking PSA act.  

Mehbooba Mufti's daughter files habeas corpus writ petition

Mehbooba Mufti's daughter, Iltija, filed a habeas corpus writ petition before the Supreme Court in February 2020, challenging her mother's detention. Following this, the three-judge SC bench issued a notice to the J&K administration seeking a response to the plea. 

The Supreme Court had posted the matter for hearing on March 18, however, the petition was not taken up for discussion due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Background

Three former J&K Chief Ministers, Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah and Farooq Abdullah were placed under preventive detention on August 5, 2020 for six months. Other senior political leaders of the state were also detained on the same day. The senior J&K politicians were detained just before the centre revoked Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir and divided the state into two union territories- J&K and Ladakh. 

The Jammu and Kashmir administration invoked the Public Safety Act (PSA) to extend the detentions of the three former Chief Ministers and two senior politicians.

National Conference party President Farooq Abdullah was released from PSA detention on March 5, 2020. Almost two weeks later, his son Omar Abdullah was also released from his 8-month detention. Omar Abdullah was released on March 24, just a day before the implementation of the nationwide lockdown. Many other J&K politicians were also released by the government in the last couple of months.

Also read: What is Public Safety Act of Jammu & Kashmir: All you need to know