As number of leaders in Jammu and Kashmir, including former chief ministers remain detained, the Raj Bhavan on Tuesday clarified that the state Governor Satya Pal Malik is not involved in the detention or release of any person and such decisions are taken by the local police administration.
Dogra Sadar Sabha president and former minister Gulchain Singh Charak was detained ahead of his scheduled press conference in Jammu on Tuesday. Charak’s son Gambhir Dev Singh said the leader had reached his party headquarters at Dogra Hall in the city to address a press conference and was picked up by police without citing any reason.
National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah and Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti were put under house arrest following the Centre’s move to abrogate special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370.
“A news item has appeared stating that the Governor has told the ex-chief ministers (Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti) who are presently under detention, that they would be shifted to their residences provided they do not make any statements in the Valley against abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the state,” a Raj Bhavan spokesman said in a statement in Srinagar. He said it is clarified that the news item is completely “false and baseless.”
“The Governor, J&K, is not involved in the detention or release of any person and such decisions are taken by the local police administration. The Governor has had no communication with these leaders,” the spokesperson said. The spokesperson said the Raj Bhavan condemns the spreading of such “incorrect and unverified” news.