The personal “X” account of Iltija Mufti, leader of the People’s Democratic Party and daughter of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, has been withheld in India following a legal demand, officials said
Users attempting to access the account in India were shown a message stating that “@IltijaMufti_ has been withheld in IN in response to a legal demand.” Sources in the Jammu and Kashmir Cyber Police said the agency had formally requested the social media platform “X” to restrict access to her account in the country.
Iltija Mufti confirmed that her account had been withheld but said she was unaware of the reasons behind the action.
The move comes days after the Jammu and Kashmir Cyber Police registered an FIR against her on April 30, 2026, over a social media post allegedly containing secessionist content. The case was filed after she shared a 61-second video clip on April 29, 2026, featuring late separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani speaking about the importance of the Urdu language.
The FIR, registered as No. 11/2026 at Cyber Police Station Srinagar, was filed under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with acts endangering the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India. Officials said the investigation into the case remains ongoing.
According to officials, the case was triggered after Iltija Mufti used the Geelani video to support her protests against the National Conference-led government headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. She has accused the government of diluting the mandatory status of Urdu in revenue department recruitment and has continued to criticize the administration over the issue.
Following the registration of the FIR, Iltija Mufti took responsibility for the post and urged authorities not to harass others who had shared the content, stating that she would cooperate with the investigation.
At the time of filing the case, the Jammu and Kashmir Cyber Police also issued a public advisory cautioning social media users against sharing “unlawful content” promoting separatist ideology.
