Srinagar: Two days after the Public Safety Act (PSA) was slapped on former chief ministers- Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, senior Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Naeem Akhtar was on Saturday booked under the Act, official sources said here.
With this, six mainstream political leaders, including three former chief ministers, have been booked under the PSA, since abrogation of Article 370 on August 5.
Sources said that Mr Akhtar, who was also the chief spokesperson in PDP-BJP coalition government, would be lodged in a hut on Gupkar road in Srinagar.
They said NC leader Tanveer Sadiq and former MLA Mubarakh Gul were released from detention at MLA hostel and placed under house arrest at their respective residences in the city.
They said IAS topper turned politician Dr Shah Faesal is likely to be the next to be slapped by PSA.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti and National Conference (NC) Vice President Abdullah were on Thursday booked under the PAS - a stringent law that allows detention without trial for up to three months and multiple extensions. Two more leaders, NC General Secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar and PDP leader Sartaj Madna were also charged under PSA. The order came on the last day of their six-month detention without charges.
Hundreds of people, including politicians, activists, separatists and business association leaders, were detained to 'maintain law and order' after centre abrogated special status of the state. Dr Farooq, who was in September last year slapped with PSA, remained under detention at his Srinagar residence.
Peoples Conference (PC) chairman Sajjad Gani Lone, who was a minister in PDP-BJP coalition government from Saffron party quota was released from Sub jail and later put under house arrest on Wednesday. Similarly, Mr Faesal and PDP leader Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra were also released from MLA hostel, which was turned into Sub Jail, and put under house arrest.
The authorities have been releasing politicians in phased manner. However, sources said that the politicians before release have to give undertaking assuring authorities that they would not indulge in any activity that will hamper law and order.
PDP MLA Aijaz Ahmad Mir and trade leader Shakeel Ahmed Qalandar, who is former president of the Federation Chamber of Industries Kashmir, were released on Tuesday.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Mohammad Yusuf Bhat, three National Conference (NC) leaders-Abdul Majeed Larmi, Mohammad Shafi and Ghulam Nabi Bhat- were released on Sunday from the hostel, where now about a dozen politicians remained under detention.
Meanwhile, former minister Abdul Haq Khan, former Congress MLA Haji Abdul Rasheed, senior NC leader Nazir Ahmad Gurezi and Peoples Conference leader?Mohammad Abbas Wani were released last month.(UNI)
