Mehbooba Mufti shifted to her residence, detention continues

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 7

Over eight months after former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti was detained, she has been shifted to her Gupkar residence, which has been notified as Subsidiary Jail by J&K government.

Mehbooba and two other former chief ministers - Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah were over 50 top mainstream politicians who were detained ahead of the revocation of Article 370 on August 5 last year. While initially, the three former CMs were under put ‘preventive custody’, they were later slapped with the stringent PSA. Farooq was released on March 12 and his son Omar was released on March 24.

The order for the change of lodgment of Peoples Democratic Party President Mehbooba was issued by J&K’s Home department on Tuesday.

"In exercise of the powers conferred by under section 10 (b) the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act,  the government hereby orders change of lodgment of Ms Mehbooba Mufti detained by the District Magistrate Srinagar vide an order dated 5-2-2020 read with corrigendum dated 6-2-2020, from Subsidiary Jail Transport yard, MA road Srinagar is Subsidiary jail Fairview, Gupkar Road, Srinagar with immediate effect,” an order issued by Principal Secretary to Government, Shaleen Kabra, reads.

As the news of change of Mehbooba's lodgment broke, Omar Abdullah said that Mehbooba must be set free.

"@MehboobaMufti must be set free. Shifting her home while continuing to keep her detained is a cop out," Omar tweeted

Mehbooba was initially detained at a guest house turned sub-jail at Cheshma Shahi in Zabarwan foothills. She was lodged there for nearly 100 days. In November last year, she was shifted to a guest house turned jail in the city centre following mounting criticism that her previous jail was not equipped with proper heating arrangements. On February 7, almost six months after placing her under preventive detention, the J&K administration invoked stringent PSA against her.

There has been a growing demand for the release of prisoners due to the fear of COVID-19 spread. J&K has recorded so far two deaths from the deadly COVID-19 disease and over 100 cases have been found positive that has created fear among the residents.