Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, former chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir, asserted on Monday that they had been placed under house arrest prior to the Supreme Court's ruling on petitions contesting the annulment of Article 370.
However, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and the police denied any instances of house arrest or arrests.
"Even before the Supreme Court judgement is pronounced, police have sealed the doors of the residence of PDP president Mehbooba Mufti and put her under illegal house arrest," the PDP said in a post on X.
The party claimed the PDP officer near Sher-e-Kashmir Park here was also sealed by the police.
A National Conference (NC) leader said the main gate of the party president Farooq Abdullah and Vice President Omar Abdullah's residence was locked by the police in the morning.
"Omar Abdullah has been locked up in his house. Democracy?" NC's additional state spokesperson Sara Hayat Shah said in a post on X.
Shah also shared images showing the locked gate of Abdullah's home. According to officials, the police prohibited journalists from assembling near the residence on Gupkar Road.
A contingent of police officers was stationed at the entrance of Gupkar Road, preventing journalists from accessing the NC leaders' residence. Omar Abdullah resides with his father following his departure from his official residence in October 2020. Farooq Abdullah, serving as a Member of Parliament from Srinagar, is presently in Delhi for the ongoing Parliament session, while his son remains in the valley.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said the news of house arrest or arrest of anyone ahead of the Supreme Court verdict on Article 370 is "totally baseless".
Police also said no person was under house arrest. “No person has been put under house arrest”, Srinagar Police said in a post on X.
However, responding to the Lieutenant Governor’s statement, Omar Abdullah said either the Lieutenant Governor was being dishonest, or the police were acting independently of him.
“Dear Mr LG these chains that have been put on my gate have not been put by me so why are you denying what your police force has done? It's also possible you don't even know what your police are doing. Which one is it? Are you being dishonest or is your police acting independently of you?“ the NC vice president said in a post on X.
He also shared pictures of the locked gate of the residence.
PDP president's daughter, and her media advisor, Iltija Mufti also responded to the police's claim saying that no one was under house arrest.
“Count the number of locks. Why don't you allow the media to come & see for themselves if we are under house arrest or not? Srinagar Police or Pinocchio?” Iltija Mufti said in a post on X.
