Monitor News Bureau
Srinagar: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti was released late Tuesday night and the PSA against her revoked, after being detained for over a year since the eve of the centre scrapping Article 370.
J&K Government Spokesperson, Rohit Kansal announced the decision on Twitter: “Ms. Mehbooba Mufti being released.”
Minutes after Mehbooba’s release was confirmed her daughter, Iltija Mufti 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. May allah protect you”.
NC vice president and former chief minister, Omar Abdullah reacted to the development on Twitter.
Almost exactly one year ago Iltija Mufti took over her mother’s Twitter account and has been campaigning fiercely for her release since.
“Ms Mehbooba Mufti, former Chief Minister J&K to whom this twitter handle belongs has been detained since 5th August 2019 without access to the account. This handle is now operated by myself, Iltija daughter of Ms Mufti with due authorisation,” she posted on September 20.
Mehbooba’s release comes just as the deadline set by the Supreme Court was set to expire.
In September, the court questioned the central government and the J&K administration over her detention, asking them: “How long can Mehbooba Mufti be kept in custody?”
The top court today gave two weeks’ time to the Jammu and Kashmir administration to give its stand on how long Mehbooba can be kept in custody and whether her custody can be extended beyond one year.
Mehbooba was among hundreds of people detained in 2019 to prevent protests against the Government of India’s move to divest J&K of its special status through the nullification of the Constitution’s Article 370 and to divide state into two Union territories.
