Monitor News Bureau
Srinagar: The ongoing PSA detention of former J&K Chief Minister and president Peoples Democratic Party Mehbooba Mufti has been further extended by three months.
A government order announcing the same was Friday shared by PDP on its official Twitter handle.
The order said that “law enforcing agencies have recommended further extension in the period of detention and on examination, the same is considered to be necessary.”
Mehbooba’s detention period was supposed to expire on August 5, exactly a year after the government of India announced abrogation of Article 370 and divided the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories.
In April, Mehbooba was shifted from Subsidiary Jail on MA Road to her residence at Gupkar Fairview, after it was declared as a subsidiary jail, to continue her detention there under Public Safety Act (PSA).
Several political leaders, including Mufti, Omar Abdullah and his father and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah, were detained by authorities on August 5 last year. The PSA of senior Abdullah and his son was revoked earlier in March.
Mufti was initially detained on August 5 last year when the Centre abrogated the special status of the erstwhile state and bifurcated it into two union territories — Ladakh, and Jammu and Kashmir.
Having spent over eight months in detention at two government facilities designated as sub-jails, Mufti was shifted to her home on April 7 in partial relief.
Mufti heads the PDP which was in power in Jammu and Kashmir in alliance with the BJP till June 2018.
Initially, she was taken into preventive custody. Later on February 5 this year, she was slapped with the PSA.
Reacting to the fresh extension to her detention, her party leader Naeem Akhter tweete: “Yunhi hamesha ulajhti rahi hai zulm sey khalq, na unki rasm nayee hai na apni reet nayee: yunhi hamesha khilaye haiN hum ney aag mein phool, na unki haar nayee hai na apni jeet nayee.”
