Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Police on Friday arresed a journalist for allegedly sharing anti-national content on social media, officials said.
IGP Vijay Kumar said there are three FIRs registered against Fahad Shah for glorifying (militancy), spreading fake news & inciting general public for creating L&O (law and order) situations.
Earlier Pulwama Police in a statement said “It was reliably learnt by Pulwama Police that some Facebook users and portals have been uploading anti national content including photographs, videos and posts with criminal intention to create fear among public and the content so uploaded can provoke the public to disturb law & order,” said a police spokesman, in a statement.
“It was also learnt that these Facebook users are uploading such posts which tantamount to glorifying the terrorist activities and causing dent to the image of law enforcing agencies besides causing ill-will & disaffection against the country.”
“As the aforementioned activities by some of the Facebook users amounts to commission of cognizable offences by them, accordingly Pulwama Police while taking cognizance of the matter registered a case vide FIR No. 19/2022 under relevant sections of the law and initiated the investigation,” read the statement further.
“During the course of investigation, one accused person identified as Fahad Shah was arrested. The accused is on police remand. The investigation into the matter is in progress,” it added.
Fahad Shah, who is the editor-in-chief of The Kashmir Walla News Portal was summoned by police on Feb 1 for alleged ‘wrong’ reporting over a military operation that took place in Naira village in Pulwama district on Sunday 30 January in which 4 Militants were killed including a Hybrid.
The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned Shah’s arrest and urged authorities to immediately and unconditionally release journalist Fahad Shah and drop any investigation into his work on Friday.
Former Chief Minsters also condemned his detention.
