Kashmir Digits

Sajad Gul, a journalist from Kashmir’s Bandipora has been booked under the draconian Public Safety Act and shifted to Jammu’s Kot Bhalwal jail.

On Sunday, when an incarcerated journalist from north Kashmir, Sajad Gul, was expected to be released after bail, another FIR was lodged against him making his family return empty-handed from the Hajin Police Station after several hours of wait.

Speaking to The Kashmiriyat, the family members of Sajad said that they have no clue regarding his whereabouts. “We went to meet him in the morning and he was not at the Hajin Police Station (where he as initially lodged),” his brother said.

He said that they have not been informed of any more FIRs against Sajad. “All we know is of one FIR, which he has been already bailed in,” he said, adding, “It is a time of great distress for the family.”

Sajad’s parents had been waiting for his release today, he said.

A Police official confirmed that Sajad who was booked under the Public Safety Act has been shifted to Jammu’s Kot Bhalwal Jail- nearly 300 kilometres away from his home.

The Kashmiriyat reported that on January 10 Sajad was arrested by the Army after they searched him in his house house several times, but he was not at his home. The Army, then sought Sajad’s phone number and at around 10 PM the Army returned and called Sajad, he said.

Sajad had asked his family to not worry and went out where the Army was waiting for him. “We kept calling him constantly for several hours and finally someone around 1 picked up the phone and said Sajad had been handed over to the police,” his brother told The Kashmiriyat.

For the initial two days after his detention, the family met the Police officials who told them to keep silent for a few days and Sajad would be released, he said. “Eventually we came to know that FIR was registered against him,” he said.

“He has been booked under the 120B (party to criminal conspiracy), 153B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration), and 505B (fear or alarm to the public) sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).”

Umair Nazir Ronga, the legal counsel for Sajad said that his counsel has received the copy of the new FIR. “We have apprehensions Sajad has been booked under the Public Safety Act,” he said. He added that the Police is misused the law to initially enlengthen his detention.

“They could have filed a supplementary Charge sheet mentioning both the FIRs. However, they did not do so. After we got bail in one FIR, he was booked in another,” Uzair said.

He said once he receives the copy of the PSA dossier from the local administration, he will file an appeal for  quashing the PSA order.

On Saturday, it had come to the fore that Sajad was granted bail and will be released soon. Expecting his release, the family went to the police station in order to take Sajad home. But after waiting for hours, the family was told that he wasn’t at the Hajin Police Station.



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