SRINAGAR: Nearly 14 hours after Jammu and Kashmir government spokesman took to twitter to claim that senior Congress leader and former minister Saif-ud-Din Soz is not under arrest or detention, the Congress leader on Friday said he is not a free man and continues to be under house detention and the government was lying.
Talking to New Indian Express today morning, Soz said that he continues to be under detention. "The restrictions on my movement continue and have not been lifted. The government is telling lies. I am not a free man and still under house detention. I am not being allowed to move out," he said. Soz has been under house arrest at his residence at Friends Enclave Humhama near Srinagar airport since the scrapping of Article 370 by centre on August 5 last year.
Jammu and Kashmir government spokesman Rohit Kansal had taken to social networking site Twitter at around 9.05 pm yesterday to claim that Soz was not under house arrest.
"Mr. Saiffudin Soz former MP and Minister not under arrest or detention. He has been to Delhi twice- in October and December. Free to go wherever he likes with usual security drill. No question of lying in Hon SC (sic)," Kansal had tweeted.
However, Soz said Kansal, the J&K government and central government is telling lies that there are no restrictions on his movement. "The reality is that I am under house arrest and I am under detention," Soz said.
This is the second time that the Jammu and Kashmir government has been caught on wrong foot as far as Soz's detention is concerned.
Earlier, on Tuesday, Jammu and Kashmir government had informed the Supreme court that Soz is a free man and was never under detention. The apex court, which was hearing petition by Soz's wife challenging his detention, accepted the J&K government’s statement and closed the case.
Yesterday many videos had gone viral on social media in which Soz was barred by policemen deployed at his residence from venturing out. Soz said he visited his ailing sister today after permission from the police. "The policemen accompanied me to my sister’s residence and not allowed to visit any other place," the senior Congress leader said.
Earlier, Soz said he had twice been allowed to leave his house since August 5. "I visited my ailing sister and Delhi for seeking medical advice. However, whenever I went out of my premises since August 5, 2019, I had to obtain permission from the government," he said.
The Congress leader has decided to sue J&K government for his 'unlawful' house arrest since August 5, 2019. "I will further sue the government for compensation for the incarceration and illegal suspension of civil liberties to which I am entitled under the Constitution," he added.