Mehbooba’s daughter gets passport only for 2 years after CID’s classified adverse report
The Hindu
Iltija Mufti, daughter of former J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti, has been granted a point-to-point two-year-valid passport, only by the Passport Office in Kashmir. The J&K Criminal Investigation Department (CID), in a rare move, submitted an adverse report against her and classified the report as “Top Secret” under the Official Secret Act (OSA).
Iltija Mufti, daughter of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, has been granted a point-to-point two-year-valid passport, only by the Passport Office in Kashmir. The J&K Criminal Investigation Department (CID), in a rare move, submitted an adverse report against her and classified the report as “Top Secret” under the Official Secret Act (OSA).
Davinder Kumar, Passport Officer, Srinagar, in a response to the High Court, said that Ms. Mufti, who sought to pursue higher studies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), had been issued a passport “valid up to 04/04/2025”.
According to the passport office, the police verification report received from the Special Director General of Police (CID), J&K, on February 17, 2023 had been duly classified as “Top Secret”, under the provision of OSA. “As per the contents, the classified document does not favour for issuance of passport to the petitioner,” the official communique reads.
It said the passport office had “sought a detailed report from the Special Director General of Police with regard to the chargesheet and FIR (if any), against Ms. Mufti.
“I am extremely disappointed. After a year of litigation, I have been issued a two-year passport only for the UAE. Carte blanche has been given to the CID to weaponise passports and livelihood of people,” Ms. Mufti told The Hindu.
She said the Official Secret Act (OSA) had been invoked against her by the Additional Director General of Police, CID, R.R. Swain “despite the fact that I have always been a law- abiding citizen”.
“The only reason it’s (police verification) has been filed in a sealed cover is because they have nothing substantial against me,” Ms. Mufti added.