Srinagar: People's Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti's daughter Iltija Mufti has accused the office of the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) CID of not clearing her police verification for the last six months "intentionally" and as such depriving her of her passport. In a letter to ADGP RR Swain, dated January 9, 2023, Iltija wrote that the right to travel abroad is a fundamental right and that she should not be subjected to an unusually long inquiry by the respondent or its agencies.
"Therefore your (ADGP Swain) inaction and failure to do so brazenly infringes upon my rights and is causing me severe distress. I would like to bring to your notice that I am a law-abiding citizen and have never broken any law or rule." According to the letter, Iltija's passport was about to expire and she applied for its renewal on June 8, 2022.
"Much to my disappointment, I have still not received a new passport. I traced my application online various times and it is still pending for physical police verification at the SP (Superintendent of Police) office in Budgam district," read her letter. Iltija also pointed out that the Supreme Court directions on passports in the letter.
"As you are well aware, the Supreme Court clarified and held in Satwant Singh Sawhney vs D. Ramarathnam that the right to travel is a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Indian constitution and the government has no right to refuse a passport to a person who has applied for the same". Interestingly, the Muftis have been alleging that their entire family was being denied passports.
Mehbooba’s mother Gulshan Nazir allegedly was denied a passport last year when she wanted to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca. Pertinently, last month, the J&K High Court took strong notice of the denial of passport to Gulshan and directed the Passport Officer “to consider re-issuance of passport afresh”.
