J&K High Court (HC) on Tuesday quashed detention of National Conference (NC) general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar under Public Safety Act (PSA).

Conforming the development, former chief minister and NC vice president Omar Abdullah said the J&K High Court has quashed the detention of Mr Sagar.

Following the quashing of detention, Mr Sagar would be released after remaining in custody for about 11 months under PSA. Mr Sagar -- who was arrested on August 5 last year when center abrogated special status of J&K -- was slapped with PSA immediately after his release from preventive detention on February 6.

The PSA dossier of Sagar had stated that his capacity could be gauged by his mobilizing power, as he could convince his electorate to vote even at the peak of militancy and election boycott campaign in 1990’s. “Sagar instigates party workers and youth especially from his constituency against the decisions of Government of India. He took out a protest march along with 250 people in August as well,” read the PSA dossier of Mr Sagar.

On February 6, security officials shifted Sagar from MLA hostel in Srinagar -- where he was put under preventive custody -- to M-5 government guesthouse on high profile Gupkar road in Srinagar.

Mr Omar said the decision once again highlights the unjust and indefensible nature of the August 5 detentions. “The J&K High Court has quashed the detention of my senior colleague @JKNC_ General Secretary Ali Mohd Sagar. Thankfully he challenged his detention even when those around him were reluctant to. This once again highlights the unjust & indefensible nature of the 5th Aug detentions,” Mr Abdullah wrote on micro-blogging site twitter.

Mr Abdullah said ‘although senior PDP leader Nayeem Akhtar and NC leader Hilal Lone haven’t challenged their detentions in court, I hope the authorities see the writing on the wall and realize their continued PSA detention is indefensible’.

“They two must be released as must all the others under illegal house arrest,” he added.

The former chief minister hoped that former chief minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti’s legal team perusing her case would take heart from today’s judgment in the HC. “I hope @MehboobaMufti’s legal team take heart from today’s judgment in the J&K High Court quashing Sagar Sb’s PSA detention to pursue Ms Mufti’s case in the Supreme Court with increased determination & vigour. She deserves to be freed without further loss of time,” he wrote.

Mr Sagar, former chief ministers Omar Abdullah, NC president Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, besides dozens of mainstream leaders, including ex-ministers, were detained on August 5, 2019, when centre abrogated Article 370 and Article 35 A, besides bifurcated the state into two Union Territories.

Mr Sagar is the first mainstream politician whose detention was quashed by a court. The other leaders, who have been released by the UT administration, have reportedly given undertaking that they would not indulge in any activity that would disturb peace in J&K.

Omar Abdullah was released in March after about eight month detention following revocation of PSA which was slapped against him. Dr Farooq, who is MP from Srinagar, was also released in March after remaining under detention for about seven months. The NC president was released after his PSA was revoked by the J&K administration. Some other people lodged in different jails outside J&K were released last month amid COVID-19 outbreak.

In April, the detention of Mehbooba Mufti and PDP leader Naeem Akhtar under PSA was extended by three months. Ms Mehbooba was later shifted from a government guest house to her official residence after it was converted into sub-jail, where she continued to remain lodged.