Former minister and senior People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Naeem Akhtar was released on Monday from detention at MLA hostel here nearly five months after his arrest, but soon was put under house detention.
As per an order issued by a local court, Akhtar has been released “in view of the present Covid-19 situation and on health grounds”.
“Whereas Shri Naeem Akhtar presently lodged in MLA Hostel (subsidiary jail Srinagar under Section 107/151 of Cr P.C has requested for his release on the grounds of his health issues,” the order read.
“Keeping in view the recent directions of the Apex Court of India and the present situation of the Covid-19 and the health issues stated by the detainee, the request is accepted and it is ordered to shift the detainee from Subsidiary Jail MLA hostel Srinagar to his residence. . .,” the order stated. However, the court directed that Akhtar shall continue to be under house detention.
Akhtar was first detained in August 2019 and later booked under the Public Safety Act (PSA), and released in June last year after 10 months of detention. He was again arrested in December last year just ahead of counting of votes for the District Development Council and lodged in a government building (MLA Hostel) declared as a sub-jail.
Meanwhile, PDP welcomed Akhtar’s release and sought release of all political prisoners languishing in jails in and outside of J&K.
In a statement issued here, PDP general secretary Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura said the “continued illegal incarceration of political leaders despite the raging pandemic belittles the claims of restoration of democracy in Jammu and Kashmir trumpeted by the government”.
“Five months ago Naeem Sahab and Sartaj sahab were arbitrarily picked up on frivolous grounds and put in jail without any rhyme and reason. Despite their old age and numerous underlying medical issues they were kept in detention even during the raging pandemic depicting the vindictiveness of the administration. Even after his release from jail Naeem Akhtar continues to be under house arrest,” Hanjura said.
Urging authorities to release senior party leader and former party vice president Sartaj Madni, he said that given the prevailing health scare and lockdown, it makes “no sense for the government to keep Sartaj Madni under detention”.
“When the whole of the country including J&K is under lockdown, people are restricted to their homes and the Supreme Court is urging governments to decongest jails, what logic does it serve to keep a former legislator and a senior political leader under detention on unknown grounds? Given the Covid scare the families cannot even meet them. Administration should give up its vindictiveness and release Sartaj sahab immediately,” Hajura added.
“Isn’t it ironical that even after NIA gave bail to party youth president Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra, its state counterpart continues to detain him under similar charges? The charges against Waheed are mendacious, politically motivated and reeks of vengeance. Authorities should immediately order his release and end his ordeal and long tryst with injustice,” Hanjura added.
Hanjura also urged the government to release other political prisoners lodged in different jails in and outside of J&K on humanitarian grounds.
Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party president Syed Altaf Bukhari also welcomed Akhtar’s release. In a party statement issued here, Bukhari said: “It has been our consistent demand that the government should release all political prisoners languishing in jails in and outside J&K given an unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases in the country”.
He demanded that the Supreme Court directives for the release of prisoners to tide over the pandemic may be implemented by the J&K high-powered committee.
Bukhari said that the government should also consider the release of other political prisoners by adopting the guidelines of the National Legal Services Authority on the issue. “While the release of Naeem sahib is a welcome move, our demand for the release of other colleagues, who have been unjustly detained, remains persistent,” Bukhari said. He said the COVID-19 second wave poses a grave threat to mankind and in this situation the prolonged detention of political leaders and activists is worrisome.
Those young political activists and senior political leaders detained must be honourably released especially in view of the current covid-19 crisis, Bukhari said.