Estranged wife of Omar can’t get Govt house: Centre in HC

NEW DELHI: Payal Abdullah, the estranged spouse of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah cannot be given Government accommodation on security grounds, which is available to SPG protectees only, the Centre today told the Delhi High Court.

The Ministry of Urban Development told Justice Indermeet Kaur that the Government accommodation, on security grounds, can be made available to private persons only when they are SPG protectees.

“It was declared that under the office memorandum of 2000 issued by the Directorate of Estate, Ministry of Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation, that no Government accommodation will be allotted to any private person on any security consideration, except to Special Protection Group (SPG) protectees.

“Omar Abdullah has demitted the office of Chief Minister in January 2015 and Mufti Mohammad Sayeed assumed charge as the chief minister of the State on March 1, 2015 therefore, the petitioners were not entitled to occupy this premises, 7, Akbar Road (type VIII) bungalow, New Delhi, since the same was made for official use of Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir,” the affidavit, filed by the Centre, said. (AGENCIES)