Days after the Supreme Court’s observation that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders should approach the local administration for any meeting with incarcerated leader Mehbooba Mufti, the party has formally written to the District Magistrate, Srinagar.
“The PDP’s top leaders have sought permission to meet Ms. Mufti at the Sub-Jail Fairview in Srinagar,” PDP spokesperson Suhail Bukhari told The Hindu.
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In the letter, jointly signed by the PDP’s G.N. Hanjura, A.R. Veeri, Khursheed Alam and Aijaz Ahmad Mir, a copy of the SC order is also attached, which says “as and when a request is made to meet her [Ms. Mufti] the same should be promptly considered by the concerned authorities”.
“In the light of the SC direction, we should be allowed to meet her. We believe that denial of such permission will be in contravention of the SC order,” the letter reads.
A similar request made by the PDP on August 31 was turned down by the district administration.
Ms. Mufti was arrested on August 5 last year. Ms. Mufti’s daughter Iltija Mufti, in a petition filed before the SC, claimed her mother is not allowed to meet party leaders and even relatives were being denied permission to meet or stay with her.
Ms. Mufti is booked under the Public Safety Act. The Supreme Court, hearing a plea of Ms. Mufti’s daughter, on Tuesday asked the J&K administration to clarify how long they intend to detain the former chief minister.
