Farooq Abdullah To Walk Free After Nearly Seven Months In Detention
In December last year, his detention was extended by three months.
In custody since 5 August 2019, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah will be released. He was under detention under the Public Safety Act or PSA after the ending of special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370.
Abdullah was placed at his house in Srinagar in the same week after the political development brought the bifurcation of J&K into two Union Territories.
The order for his "immediate release" has come from Jammu and Kashmir administration.
The ending of special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 brought security restrictions and a communication lockdown. Along with Farooq Abdullah, other senior politicians from the region, such as Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, and others, were placed under detention.
A report in the Hindustan Times says quoting the order issued by Shaleen Kabra, J-K’s principal secretary for home.
“In exercise of powers conferred under Section 19(1) of the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act (PSA), 1978, the government hereby revokes the detention order bearing No. DMS/PSA/120/2019 issued by District Magistrate, Srinagar.”
NDTV report says that Abdullah senior was charged with "disturbing public order" under the law.
In December last year, his detention was extended by three months. His daughter Safia Abdullah Khan said on Twitter: "My father is a free man again." Abdullah is a Member of Parliament.
He had then criticised the centre in a letter, which according to this NDTV report was shared by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor. "for not allowing him to attend the winter session of parliament."
The report quotes parts from the letter written by Abdullah:
“Thank you for your letter on 21st October 2019 which has been delivered to me today by my magistrate who looks after me while I am in the sub-jail...It is most unfortunate that they are not able to deliver me my post in time. I am sure this is not the way to treat a senior Member of the Parliament and leader of a political party. We are not criminals (sic).”
The NDTV report points that "eight opposition parties sent a joint resolution to the BJP-led government". The parties, such as including Congress, Trinamool Congress and NCP, among others, demanded the immediate release of all political detainees in Kashmir including the Abdullahs (Farooq and Omar) and Mufti.