National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah on Thursday came down heavily on a bureaucrat who claimed that Congress leader Saifuddin Soz was never detained India Today reported.
Rohit Kansal, Principal Information Secretary in Jammu and Kashmir administration, on Thursday said that Saiffudin Soz was never arrested and was not under detention and had even traveled to Delhi twice since August 5.
“Mr. Saiffudin Soz former MP and Minister not under arrest or detention. He has been to Delhi twice- in October and December. Free to go wherever he likes with the usual security drill. No question of lying in Hon SC,” Rohit Kansal said on Twitter.
Saifuddin Soz has allegedly been under detention since August 5, when Article 370 was abrogated. The J&K administration on Wednesday told Supreme Court that he was not under detention, however, when the media tried to contact him at his residence on Thursday, the leader was not allowed to step out by the police deployed at his house. He was forcefully whisked away when he tried to speak to media by climbing over his compound wall.
Omar Abdullah, who was also under detention for several months after the abrogation of Article 370, slammed IAS officer Rohit Kansal for using his personal Twitter handle for propagating ‘propaganda’ against Congress leader Saifuddin Soz.
“I’m sorry Rohit but it’s better to let the official twitter handles put out the propaganda. I’ve worked closely with you & it’s disappointing to see your handle put out this tweet,” Omar Abdullah said.
The NC leader former J&K CM clarified that Saiffudin Soz had traveled to Delhi for medical reasons and was detained upon return.
“Soz sb traveled for medical reasons & was detained at home as soon as he returned,” Omar Abdullah said.
Omar Abdullah also questioned the term ‘usual security drill’ used by Rohit Kansal when explaining the freedoms Saiffudin Soz has been afforded.
“Incidentally what’s the security drill? Would you care to elaborate? Does he need permission every time he wants to leave his house?” Omar Abdullah said in a series of tweets.
The NC leader said that the permission for the two medical trips to Delhi was given to Saiffudin Soz after an intervention from his cardiologist.
“It took a colleague of mine more than 72 hours & his cardiologist’s intervention before he was permitted to travel to Delhi for a check-up. The moment he returned to Srinagar he was detained again & I’m sure when his case comes up in the High Court the government will claim he’s not detained. It’s very convenient because there are no formal detention papers, just instructions to the police at the gate,” Omar Abdullah.
In a statement, earlier in the day, Saifuddin Soz has said that he has decided to move the court against the J&K administration and his illegal detention.
“I have decided to sue the government for my unlawful house arrest since August 5, 2019. I will further sue the government for compensation for the incarceration and illegal suspension of civil liberties to which I am entitled under the Constitution,” he said.
In an affidavit before the Supreme Court, the Jammu and Kashmir administration had said Soz was “never detained nor under house arrest” and there are “no restrictions on his movement subject to security clearance”.
The government’s affidavit came in response to a petition by Soz’s wife, seeking her husband’s release from “illegal detention” and to be brought before the court India Today reported.
