Bhupesh Baghel links Abdullahs' release to Sachin Pilot; Omar threatens legal action

Former J&K CM Omar Abdullah on Monday announced legal action against Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel for drawing a link between his release from detention and Sachin Pilot's alleged connections with BJP. Commenting on the Rajasthan crisis in an interview earlier in the day, Baghel contended that Omar Abdullah's release was suspicious as PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, who was booked under the same sections, was still under detention. He hinted that NC vice president Omar Abdullah had been released because he is Pilot's brother-in-law.

Rejecting the allegations, the NC alleged that senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel was making malicious statements for "convenient political posturing". It maintained that Abdullah was released after his detention order was challenged in the Supreme Court. The NC added that the government's revocation of the detention order had nothing to do with the present political situation in Rajasthan. 

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Release of Omar Abdullah

Omar Abdullah was in preventive detention since August 5, 2019, when the special status of J7K was revoked. He was charged under the stringent Public Safety Act, a day before his prevention detention limit of 180 days was going to end. Thereafter, his sister and Sachin Pilot's wife Sara Abdullah Pilot challenged his detention under the PSA in the Supreme Court. 

On March 18, 2020, the apex court asked the Centre and the J&K administration to respond by the next week on whether they intended to release Omar Abdullah. The bench comprising Justices Arun Mishra and MR Shah stated that they would hear Pilot’s plea against her brother’s detention on merit if he was not released soon. Subsequently, Omar Abdullah’s detention order and the PSA charges were revoked on March 24 leading to his release from the Hari Niwas sub-jail. On the other hand, NC supremo and his father Farooq Abdullah was released after undergoing house arrest for 221 days. 

Read: Rajasthan Govt Crisis LIVE Updates: Pilot Lashes Out At Gehlot; HC Hearing Continues

Rajasthan political crisis

Pilot’s departure to Delhi with some of his supporting legislators on July 11 set off alarm bells in the Congress camp. The rift between CM Ashok Gehlot and him widened after the legislators belonging to his camp skipped two Legislative Party meetings. Despite Pilot's insistence that he will not join BJP, the Congress party sacked him as the Deputy CM and the PCC chief. After being issued disqualification notice by the Assembly Speaker, Pilot and his group of 18 MLAs moved the Rajasthan HC. On numerous occasions, Gehlot has accused Pilot of conspiring with BJP to topple his government by illegal means. 

Read: Amid Mehbooba Mufti's Detention, PDP Demands Restoration Of Special Status Of J&K