J&K govt revokes detention of former CM Farooq Abdullah with immediate effect

The government of Jammu and Kashmir, on March 13, issued orders revoking detention of former J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah.

In a circular, signed by Shaleen Khan, Principal Secretary to Government,  and Gurpreet Singh, Deputy Secretary to Government, it was mentioned that the detention was to be revoked with immediate effect.

Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary Planning, Jammu & Kashmir: Government issues orders revoking detention of Dr Farooq Abdullah. pic.twitter.com/hgcCOQNzcg

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— ANI (@ANI) March 13, 2020

“In exercise of powers conferred under Section 19(1) of the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978, the Government hereby revokes the detention order dated September 15, 2019, by district magistrate of Srinagar, extended for a period of three months dated March 11, 2020, of Dr Farooq Abdullah with immediate effect,” read the Government order.

Abdullah was under preventive detention since August 5 last year, the day the Centre abrogated the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. He was the first chief minister against whom the PSA was invoked.

The stringent Act was slapped against him on September 15, hours before the Supreme Court was to hear a petition by MDMK leader Vaiko who claimed that Abdullah had been illegally detained.

He was booked under 'public order' of the PSA, a provision that allows authorities to detain a person for three months without trial. This can be extended up to two years.

The decision to release the National Conference patron came hours ahead of the ending of the three-month period on March 13 midnight.

Immediately after his release, the National Conference issued a statement welcoming the decision and also urged the Union Territory administration to release other political leaders including party vice president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor welcomed the decision and said the detention was a disgrace. Taking to Twitter on March 13, the senior leader said, "Welcome the belated release of Dr Farooq Abdullah. I hope he will soon resume his rightful place on the front bench of the Lok Sabha, where he can address with his usual compelling vigour the issues facing his state and the state of the nation. His detention was a disgrace."

National Conference leader Davinder Rana in Jammu: also reacted, saying imposing Public Safety Act (PSA) on Farooq Abdullah was a wrong decision. "I welcome the decision to revoke it. All other political detainees should also be released so that the voice of Jammu and Kashmir can reach everywhere," Rana was quoted as saying.

(With inputs from PTI)