The Jammu and Kashmir police have opposed the issuance of a passport to PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti citing an “adverse report” filed against her by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). The police submitted a report to the Jammu and Kashmir HC in which it mentioned the CID’s report, describing the former CM in a negative light.
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court is hearing a petition filed by Mehbooba over the delay in clearing her passport application.
Mufti had applied for a fresh passport on December 11 last year after the previous one expired on May 31, but the application has not been cleared till date. According to reports, the Jammu and Kashmir police have withheld the police verification report because of which the new passport has not yet been issued to the PDP chief.
Speaking about the issue, Police officials said that “an adverse report” has been filed against her by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), but refused to elaborate saying the matter would be taken up before the high court.
Mehbooba’s counsel submitted to the court that according to instructions issued by the Ministry of External Affairs, the passport of an individual is to be issued within 30 days but in Mufti’s case, despite lapse of three months, passport has not been issued due to the pending police verification.
Last month the PDP chief had gone hammer and tongs against CID for keeping her close aide and party’s youth wing president, Waheed Para, in “inhuman conditions” and accused the department of implicating him in a “fraudulent and politically motivated” case.
Responding to the allegations, Jammu and Kashmir Police, without naming Mehbooba, said that the comments with regard to CID’s investigations made on social media were “unfortunate” and increased the risk of “adversely influencing witnesses”.
Para has been in the custody of Counter Intelligence (Kashmir) at Srinagar since January 9, the same day that he was granted bail in a separate case filed by the NIA.
Yesterday, the NIA revealed that the arrested Peoples Democratic Party leader and Mehbooba Mufti’s close aide Waheed Ur Rehman Para ran a “stone-pelting” racket and smuggled weapons for terrorists in South Kashmir. The NIA said that Waheed-ur-Rehman Para misused his position and government machinery to smuggle AK-47 Rifles and ammunition by using his official vehicle.
On October 13 last year, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Mehbooba Mufti was released from detention. She was detained with several other political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir on August 2019 when Home Minister Amit Shah announced the abrogation of Article 370.
