Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti, who was in detention from August 5 last year following the abrogation of the special status of the erstwhile state, put out a tweet shortly after being freed.
Mufti in her tweet said, “After being released from fourteen long months of illegal detention, a small message for my people,” followed by an audio message. Mufti was released on Tuesday night as the Union Territory administration revoked the Public Safety Act charges against her.
The PDP chief’s release comes ahead of the expiry of the deadline set by Supreme Court, which had been approached by her daughter Iltija Mufti with a habeas corpus petition challenging her “illegal” detention. The SC on September 29 had given the administration of Jammu and Kashmir till October 14 to explain how long they intended to keep Mufti in custody.
Mufti and many other leaders of Kashmir, including Farooq Abdullah, were put in detention last year following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution that accorded special status to the erstwhile state.
In July this year, Mufti’s detention under the Public Safety Act (PSA) was extended by three months. Farooq, and son Omar Abdullah, were released from detention in March.
