Srinagar, July 31 (KNO): Jammu and Kashmir administration Friday extended the detention of PDP President Mehbooba Mufti by three months under the Public Safety Act on the pretext that her release may result in disruption of public order.
Mufti was among several J&K leaders who were taken into preventive custody on August 4 last year, just before the Centre’s announcement on bifurcating the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories and rolling back the special status guaranteed under Article 370.
The current detention order of the former chief minister was going to expire on August 5 this year. According to an order issued by the Home Department duly signed by Home Secretary Shaleen Kabra, a copy of which is with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Mufti will continue to remain under detention for another three months at her official residence at Fairview Bungalow, which has been declared a subsidiary jail.
“The law enforcing agencies have recommended further extension in the period of detention and on examination, the same is considered to be necessary,” the order reads. “The detention of Mufti has been extended to prevent her from acting in any manner prejudicial to the maintenance of law and order.”
Scores of mainstream politicians were detained on August 4 last year and a majority of them have been set free. The J&K government also released Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone today, after almost a year-long detention. Former chief ministers that include Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah, were also released from detention recently—(KNO)