Omar Abdullah welcomes Mehbooba Mufti after her release; says 'detention was a travesty'

As former Jammu and Kashmir CM and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti was released from detention, NC leader Omar Abdullah has welcomed her, while stating that her incarceration was a "travesty" and was against "the basic tenets of democracy". Omar Abdullah was also detained on August 5, 2019 along with Mufti and other political leaders of Jammu and Kashmir. He was released on March 24, almost eight months after detention. 

After being released, Omar Abdullah, who is a political rival of Mehbooba Mufti, had demanded her release, pointing out that it is "calous and cruel" for the government to detain her and other leaders. As the COVID-19 lockdown was imposed, Omar had lamented the detention of leaders calling is unjustified. 

READ | PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti's Detention Comes To An End;to Address Press Conference On Oct 16

Mehbooba Mufti released 

In a massive development on Tuesday, Mehbooba Mufti's detention under the Public Safety Act came to an end. She had been detained since August 2019 after the abrogation of Article 370. Both J&K government spokesperson Rohit Kansal and the PDP chief's daughter Iltija confirmed this development. Taking over her official Twitter account, that was being handled by her daughter Iltija in her absence, Mufti posted an audio message and said that people of J&K will have to snatch back what Delhi took away on August 5, referring to the abrogation of Article 370.

READ | 7 months on, SC to hear habeas corpus plea seeking release of Mehbooba Mufti tomorrow

READ | SC tells J-K administration to reply on plea challenging detention of Mehbooba Mufti

SC on Mufti's habeas corpus petition

Mufti's release comes two days ahead of the hearing of the habeas corpus petition in the Supreme Court. While refusing to grant blanket permission for the resumption of her political activities, the apex court bench comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Hrishikesh Roy on September 29 had directed the authorities to promptly act on a visitation request in accordance with the law. Also, it had asked for the counter-affidavit to be placed on record and sought the J&K administration's reply to Iltija Mufti's amended writ petition in a week's time.

Originally filed in February, Iltija Mufti's petition was listed for hearing on March 18. However, the matter was not heard owing to the COVID-induced restrictions. Apart from demanding her mother's immediate release, Iltija Mufti sought appropriate compensation for the "illegal detention" that the PDP chief has suffered and to award the costs of the litigation to the petitioner. 

READ | SC rejects blanket permission for Mehbooba Mufti's political activities; hearing on Oct 15

(PTI image)