NIA, SIA raid jailed journalist’s office, house in Srinagar

SRINAGAR — A joint team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the newly constituted State Investigation Agency (SIA) on Sunday raided the jailed journalist Fahad Shah’s office and his residence in Kashmir capital Srinagar, sources said.

Sources told Srinagar based news agency Kashmir Dot Com (KDC) that the State Investigation Agency is conducting searches at the residence of jailed journalist Fahad Shah at Dawood Colony at Anchar area of Soura, Srinagar. His office “The Kashmir Walla” Magazine is also being searched by the joint team of the 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.”

The Jammu and Kashmir Police had slapped Public Safety Act (PSA) on journalist Fahad Shah who was previously booked under three cases in two months and is presently lodged at Central Jail Kupwara.

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,” police had said.

Fahad, who is the 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 was then arrested by Srinagar Police.

Jammu and Kashmir Police later booked him under the Public Safety Act and is under custody at the central jail in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.