Kashmiri businessman Mubeen Shah, who was detained under the Public Safety Act in August after the revocation of special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was “temporarily released” on Saturday.
Shah (60), the former president of Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI) was released from the Agra Central Jail until March 6 next year, the Jammu and Kashmir administration’s order said.
“...the government hereby orders the temporary release of Dr Mubeen Shah...presently under detention... from December 7, 2019 to March 6, 2020 subject to the conditions laid down in the bond,” the notification by the home secretary of Jammu and Kashmir union territory said.
According to the order, Shah has to surrender before the district magistrate, Srinagar, on March 7 unless his release is extended. Shah, in his bond, has mentioned that he would not “indulge in any unlawful, illegal or secessionist activities which have the potential of endangering peace or is prejudicial to the maintenance of public order during the period of my temporary release”.
Scores of political leaders, businessmen and activists were among those detained before the Centre, on August 5, moved to effectively revoke Article 370 of the Constitution – which gave special status to J&K, and bifurcate the state into two Union Territories: J&K and Ladakh. The Centre has said that the detentions and restrictions imposed in Kashmir were necessary to avoid any law and order situation in the region.
Shah’s family had approached the Supreme Court, seeking quashing of the PSA after his detention. After hearing in the matter began, the Jammu and Kashmir administration had assured the court that they would release Shah. The case is listed for hearing again on December 9.
{{/usCountry}}Shah’s family had approached the Supreme Court, seeking quashing of the PSA after his detention. After hearing in the matter began, the Jammu and Kashmir administration had assured the court that they would release Shah. The case is listed for hearing again on December 9.
{{/usCountry}}Shah was released under sub-section 2 of section 20 of the PSA, which allows the government to release a person at any time for any specified period either without conditions or upon specific conditions that the person accepts.
The businessman’s name featured during the ‘US Congress hearing on South Asia human rights, focused on India action in Kashmir’ last month, when Indian-American lawmaker Pramila Jayapal raised the issue of his detention.
Alice G Wells, the US assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian affairs, responded, saying that the US had taken up the issue with the Indian government, which assured them that the businessman was getting medication for his health problems.
Hundreds of people, including former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah (National Conference) and Mehbooba Mufti (Peoples Democratic Party) were detained by the J&K administration ahead of the revocation of J&K’s special status.