Fahad Shah, the journalist and editor of The Kashmir Walla magazine, has been released from custody after spending 21 months in jail following his bail approval by the Jammu and Kashmir high court. Shah, arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with an alleged seditious article published in 2011, was granted bail last week and has now returned home in Kashmir.
The State Investigation Agency (SIA) of Jammu and Kashmir Police took Shah into custody in May 2022 regarding an FIR related to an alleged seditious article published in the now-defunct The Kashmir Walla, reportedly authored by Kashmiri scholar Abdul Aala Fazili.
Earlier this year in February, Shah was arrested by Pulwama police on charges of glorifying militancy and sedition after covering a story on an encounter. He faced multiple FIRs across different districts, accused of glorifying terrorism, spreading false news, and inciting the populace.
The recent bail by the Jammu wing of the high court quashed severe charges under UAPA and Indian Penal Code sections related to terror conspiracy and waging war against the country. However, Shah is still to undergo trial under Section 13 of UAPA for abetting unlawful activities and for allegedly receiving foreign funds illegally.
The court highlighted the lack of evidence linking the article published 11 years ago to inciting militancy and emphasized the absence of witnesses attributing provocations to the said article. It noted the delayed surfacing of the case amidst Shah’s legal battles in other instances.
In response, the prosecution alleged Shah’s involvement in constructing a false narrative, essential for sustaining secessionist and terrorist agendas, aiming to break the Indian union and promote Kashmir’s accession to Pakistan.
Sources By Agencies
