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PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti Released From Detention In Jammu & Kashmir

Mehbooba was arrested along with other leaders hours ahead of the Centre abrogating Article 370.

PDP president and former chief minister of Jammu & Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti. (Photo: Mehbooba Mufti/Twitter Handle)
PDP president and former chief minister of Jammu & Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti. (Photo: Mehbooba Mufti/Twitter Handle)

PDP president and former chief minister of Jammu & Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti is being released after being in preventive detention for more than 14 months following the abrogation of Article 370 last year.

"Ms. Mehbooba Mufti being released," J&K government spokesman Rohit Kansal tweeted.

Mehbooba, who became the first woman chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir in 2016 as head of the PDP-BJP alliance, was arrested along with other leaders hours ahead of the Centre bifurcating the state into two union territories and abrogating Article 370.

She was first detained under Sections 107 and151 of CrPC but later booked under the controversial Public Safety Act.

Initially, Mehbooba was lodged at Cheshma Shahi guest house and then shifted to another government guest house at MA Link Road.

The PDP president was then taken to her residence where she remained under house arrest.

Mehbooba's daughter, Iltija, had challenged her detention in the Supreme Court, which last heard the case on Sept. 29.

Former Jammu & Kashmir chief ministers and National Conference leaders Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah were released in March after over seven months in detention.