Journalist Fahad Shah ‘wanted’ in three cases: J-K Police

SRINAGAR — A day after arresting journalist Fahad Shah, J-K Police on Saturday said that the Editor-in-Chief of news magazine The Kashmir Walla was “wanted” in three cases for “glorifying” militancy.

“Fahad Shah is wanted in 3 cases for glorifying (militancy), spreading fake news & inciting general public for creating L&O (law and order) situations: FIR No. 70/2020 of PS Safakadal Srinagar, FIR No. 06/2021 of PS Imamsahib, Shopian & currently has been arrested in FIR No. 19/2022 of PS Pulwama,” police said in a tweet.

The statement comes amid tweets by Peoples Democratic Party chief and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and chairman of People Conference, Sajad Lone.

“Standing up for the truth is deemed anti national. Showing the mirror to a deeply intolerant & authoritarian government is also anti national. Fahad’s journalistic work speaks for itself & depicts the ground reality unpalatable to GOI. How many Fahad’s will you arrest?” Mehbooba said in a tweet soon after Fahad’s arrest by the police.

Sajad Lone, former minister on BJP quota in erstwhile alliance government, tweeted: “Fahad Shah arrested. What times we are living in. Just a word of caution for the administration.”

“This is not the worst that we in Kashmir have seen. We have seen even worse in the nineties. That didn’t change anything. This won’t change anything either. Take my humble word for it,” he added.