J&K ex-minister stopped before media address

As Charak reached the office of Dogra Sadar Sabha at Dogra Hall here around 11 am, a police contingent arrived and asked him not to hold the media interaction. As Charak tried to tell them that he was not going to speak against the government’s moves removing special status to J&K, the police officials said they had orders from higher-ups and he should contact them.

As Charak insisted on going ahead with the press conference as per schedule, and showed them a copy of his handout for the media, the policemen took him to Pacca Danga police station.

Charak claimed he was kept there for nearly three hours before being taken to the Jammu SSP’s office. As he had been scheduled to board a flight to Delhi at 2.30 pm, he was allowed to go to the airport, he added.

“Today’s press conference was only to seek certain safeguards for protecting the identity and interests of people of Jammu in matters of land and employment,” he said, adding that there was no justification for such action.