The Supreme Court on Wednesday demanded answers from the centre if it has any intention to release former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah from detention.
If the centre refrains to release him the apex court said it will take up the plea by Omar’s sister against his detention.
The NC leader has been kept in detention under the Public Safety Act since August 5 last year, it happened in the backdrop of revoking Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and dividing the state into two union territories.
Here is a tweet by PTI where SC asks answers from the centre on former J&K CM Omar Abdullah’s release:
SC asks Centre to inform by next week if it is releasing former J-K CM Omar Abdullah from custody
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 18, 2020
Just last week, Omar’s father and NC president Farooq Abdullah walked out of his Gupkar residence, seven months after he was put under similar detention following the abrogation of Article 370 by the central government. The senior Abdullah said that he will not make any political statement till the time all the leaders are released.
Immediately after his release, the NC issued a statement welcoming the decision and also urged the Union Territory administration to release other political leaders, including party vice president Omar Abdullah.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration has defended Omar’s detention in the top court citing the leader’s “past conduct” and the possibility of such conduct being repeated on his release, which may “prejudice the public order”.
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