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Arrested journalist sent to judicial custody

MAJID NABI. Dated: 9/9/2018 12:38:00 AM

SRINAGAR, Sep 8: A city court on Saturday sent journalist Asif Sultan who was arrested by the police last month for being allegedly involved in ‘subversive’ activities to judicial custody in Srinagar Central Jail till September 22.
Asif Sultan who works as Assistant Editor for a local magazine ‘Kashmir Narrator’ was arrested by the police from his residence at Batamaloo during the night intervening August 27 and 28.
He was arrested by the police in FIR number 173/2018 after his story on slain Hizbul Mujahideen Commander, Burhan Wani was published on cover page in recent issue of the said magazine.
Clad in a blue T-shirt with ‘Journalism not a crime’ written on it, police brought detained journalist handcuffed in the court as the family had sought detailed status report of the case through the counsel.
The court of Judicial Magistrate 1st Class after obtaining status report sent Asif to 14 days judicial custody in Srinagar Central Jail.
“Police in its report has alleged that Asif Sultan besides being involved in militant activities glorified slain militant Commander Burhan Wani through his story. We strongly refuted the allegations levelled by the police as false and fabricated,” Asif Sultan’s counsel, Advocate Mir Shafaqat Hussain said.
He said a bail application seeking release of Asif sultan will be moved before the court shortly.
Showkat A Motta, Editor ‘Kashmir Narrator’ also refuted police assertions as baseless saying they will challenge the FIR in the court.
“No law disallows a journalist to discharge his professional duty; police has said he glorified Burhan Wani and is involved in militant activities which is totally baseless and we condemn in strong words the allegations leveled by the police against Asif Sultan,” he added.