Are You Planning To Release Omar Abdullah: Supreme Court Questions Centre, Defers Sara Abdullah Pilot's Plea

The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Centre to inform by next week whether it was planning to release National Conference vice-president and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Deferring sister Sara Abdullah Pilot's plea for next week, the top court said that the J&K administration should seek clarity on Abdullah's release. Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister has been in detention since August 5, under the stringent Public Security Act.

Pilot has approached the top court challenging her brother's detention under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, saying the order was "manifestly illegal" and there was no question of him being a "threat to the maintenance of public order". The PSA against Omar states his ability to convince electorates to vote in huge numbers even during the peak of militancy and poll boycott calls by separatists and militants.

However, the police have neither mentioned any of Omar’s social media posts in the dossier nor in the order for grounds of his detention. “To the people of Kashmir, we don’t know what is in store for us.......stay safe and above all please stay calm,” was the last few tweets of Omar before he was taken to Hari Nivas for preventive detention.

Omar Abdullah, who has been junior foreign minister and commerce minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led Cabinet in 2000, was served with a three-page dossier in which he was alleged to have made statements in the past which were “subversive” in nature. His father Farooq Abdullah was released by J&K administration on March 13.

Soon after the release, Abdullah had said, "I don't have words. I am free. Now, I will be able to go to Delhi and attend the Parliament and speak for you all." "I'm grateful to people of the State and all leaders and people in the rest of the country who spoke for our freedom. This freedom will be complete when all leaders are released. I hope the government of India will take action to release everyone," he added. 

(With agency inputs)