Union home ministry has sought a report from Jammu and Kashmir government on circumstances leading to release from jail of hardline separatist leader Masarat Alam, who has over 15 cases pending against him.
Officials of the Kashmir division in the home ministry worked on Sunday to gather all facts from the state government on the issue which has led to strain in the PDP-BJP alliance.
The ministry wanted to know the reasons that led to release of 44-year-old Alam, who spearheaded 2010 agitation, from the Baramulla jail last night.
According to sources, Alam had around 15 cases pending against him which included those registered under section 120 and 121 Ranbir Penal Code (waging war against the country) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
With Opposition parties in Parliament already up in arms over Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's statement last Sunday when he credited Pakistan, Hurriyat Conference and militant outfits for smooth conduct of elections in the state, the government expects disruption over this development as well when the session resumes tomorrow after the Holi break.
Home minister Rajnath Singh is expected to outline the government position on the issue which has kicked up a political storm.
The sources said Union home secretary LC Goyal had also spoken to Jammu and Kashmir director general of police K Rajendra to ascertain the reasons behind the release of Alam, who has also been booked by police under criminal conspiracy for 2010 agitation during which about 120 youths lost their lives.
In Jammu, the police chief held a meeting with the chief minister over the issue.
As many as six policemen were promoted when Alam had been arrested in October 2010 from Harwan area on the outskirts of Srinagar city besides distribution of Rs 10 lakh cash reward to the cops as well as to the informers. He was carrying a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh on information leading to his arrest.
Protests by the BJP and the Opposition Congress continued on Sunday against the release of Alam.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers staged a protest in Jammu and in the border district of Poonch against Alam's release.
Protesting BJP workers demanded immediate re-arrest of the released separatist, impressing on its central leadership of the party that such a move by the state government would erode the BJP's base and credibility among people.
Opposition Congress party workers, led by its state president GA Mir, staged another protest against the government's decision in Jammu.
The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has defended the decision, saying that the chief minister, who also holds the home department portfolio, knows what is in the best interest of security and peace in the state.
"As the chief minister also holds the home portfolio in the state, the ruckus against Mufti sahib's decision to release Masrat Alam is uncalled for," said PDP president and Parliament member Mehbooba Mufti.
Senior PDP minister and the party's chief spokesman Naeem Akhtar said there was a Supreme Court of India decision delivered in 2013 directing the state government not to arrest Masrat Alam under the same sections of the criminial procedure coded (CrPc) repeatedly.
"Successive state governments have been violating the apex court's direction in this regard and we have only followed the original order in this regard.
"Honourable Supreme Court had also directed the state government not to arrest Masrat Alam without furnishing the reasons for such arrest to the apex court," Akhtar said.
The BJP workers are miffed about the PDP's assertion that releasing the separatist leader was part of the common minimum programme between the BJP and the PDP which included an agreement on addressing divergent viewpoints in the state.
Though the PDP is defending the decision, the BJP ministers in the coalition government are refraining from making public comment on the development.
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