'Children left alone as both parents remain in jail': Mehbooba Mufti urges release of Sarjan Barkati’s ailing wife

September 17, 2025 by News Desk

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former Jammu Kashmir chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti, has expressed concern over the health condition of prisoners lodged within and outside the Union Territory, urging the Government of India to release Shabrooza Bano, the ailing wife of religious cleric Sarjan Ahmad Wagay, popularly known as Sarjan Barkati.

In a post on X, Mehbooba said Bano, who is currently in custody, is reportedly unwell and in need of urgent medical attention. Calling the situation “heartbreaking,” she noted that with both parents in jail, the couple’s children are left without care. “The Government of India must take a compassionate view by releasing Shabrooza immediately so she can get proper treatment and be with her children,” she wrote.

Bano was arrested by the State Investigation Agency (SIA) on November 24, 2023, in connection with a militancy financing case. The agency alleged that she and her husband had raised around ₹1.74 crore through crowdfunding campaigns, which was diverted towards money laundering, acquisition of assets, and financing separatist activities.

According to the SIA, Bano also remained in touch with Pakistan-based handlers through encrypted communication platforms. Officials claimed that a portion of the funds was invested in fixed deposits under the names of Barkati’s family members.

Barkati, a prominent preacher who rose to prominence during the 2016 unrest in Kashmir, was detained in August 2023 and faces more than 30 FIRs for organising protests and rallies. The SIA maintains that his and his wife’s activities formed part of a wider conspiracy to channel funds for separatist and militant networks.