Govt extends Farooq Abdullah's detention by three months under PSA

The detention of Farooq Abdullah, a three-term chief minister of erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, was extended on Saturday by three months and he would continue to remain at his residence that has been declared a sub-jail, officials said here.

Abdullah, a five-time Parliamentarian, has been under detention since August 5 when the Centre abrogated special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the state.

The stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) was first slapped against him on September 17, hours before the Supreme Court was to hear a petition by MDMK leader Vaiko who claimed that the NC leader was detained illegally.

The National Conference chairman has been booked under the 'public order' provision of the PSA which allows that a person can be kept inside jail from three to six months without a trial, the officials said.