Srinagar: National Investigation Agency (NIA India's Primary counter-terrorist task force) and the newly constituted State Investigation Agency (SIA) on Sunday raided the jailed journalist’s office and his residence in Kashmir capital Srinagar, sources said.
State Investigation Agency is conducting searches at the residence of Jailed journalist Fahad Shah at Dawood Colony, Anchar area of Soura, Srinagar, his office.
“The Kashmir Walla” News Portal's office is also being searched by National Investigation Agency (NIA) and SIA at Kursoo Rajbagh in Srinagar.
An official confirmed the development to KDC and said “The searches are being conducted in connection with cases already registered at SIA and NIA offices respectively.
Recently, Jammu and Kashmir Police slapped Public safety Act (PSA) on Journalist Fahad Shah who was previously booked under three cases from in two months and is presently lodged at Kupwara central jail.
Shah was first arrested on February 4 with police claiming that he allegedly glorified militancy, spread fake news and incited the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
The police had claimed that three separate first information reports (FIRs) were registered against Fahad Shah.
“Fahad Shah is wanted in three cases for glorifying terrorism, spreading fake news and inciting general public for creating law and order situations: FIR No. 70/2020 of PS Safakadal Srinagar, FIR No. 06/2021 of PS Imamsahib, Shopian & FIR No. 19/2022 of PS Pulwama.”
However, he was given bail in all three cases by the court before he was arrested under PSA Public Safety Act.
Fahad, who is editor of a local news magazine and portal, “The Kashmir Walla”, was first arrested in FIR No. 19/2022 registered by Pulwama police under 13 Unlawful activities of which interim bail was granted by the special court in Srinagar.
He was then arrested by the Shopian Police in FIR No 06/2021 of which the Munsif court granted him interim bail and then re-arrested by Srinagar police .
Jammu and Kashmir Police later booked him under public safety act and he is currently under custody at central jail in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.
(KDC)