Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and leader of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti has been refused a passport.
The Passport Office cited a negative report of the Jammu and Kashmir Criminal Investigation Department (CID) as the reason for refusing to give the go-ahead for Mufti’s passport renewal.
Currently under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case, Mufti sent out this tweet after her passport renewal was denied: “Passport Office refused to issue my passport based on CID’s report citing it as ‘detrimental to the security of India. This is the level of normalcy achieved in Kashmir since Aug 2019 that an ex-Chief Minister holding a passport is a threat to the sovereignty of a mighty nation (sic)”.
Passport Office refused to issue my passport based on CID’s report citing it as ‘detrimental to the security of India. This is the level of normalcy achieved in Kashmir since Aug 2019 that an ex Chief Minister holding a passport is a threat to the sovereignty of a mighty nation. pic.twitter.com/3Z2CfDgmJy
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) March 29, 2021
After the abrogation of Article 370, Mehbooba Mufti was placed under detention along with other senior political leaders of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019.
However, Mufti − who is one of the leaders of the “Gupkar Gang” syndicate − has alleged that she is being targeted over her dissenting views. According to her, the government is misusing agencies like the National Investigation Agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate to intimidate her by propping trumped-up charges like sedition or money laundering.
“Dissent has been criminalised in this country. ED, CBI and NIA are being misused to silence the opposition tactically,” Mufti said.
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