Jammu and Kashmir High Court grants bail to journalist Fahad Shah booked under UAPA

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Friday granted bail to journalist Fahad Shah after 21 months in jail, reported The Hindu.

Shah, the editor-in-chief of independent news organisation The Kashmir Walla, was arrested in February last year after the police accused him of glorifying terrorism, spreading fake news and inciting violence. However, he got bail in two out of the three cases filed against him.

In March last year, the Srinagar district magistrate passed an order to put Shah in preventive detention under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act. It allows the authorities to hold individuals in custody without trial for up to two years to prevent them from acting in any manner that is prejudicial to “the security of the state or the maintenance of the public order”.

Although the High Court in April this year quashed Shah’s detention under the Public Safety Act, he continued to remain in jail as he was also facing charges under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, or UAPA.

A member of his legal team said on Friday that the High Court has quashed charges against him under UAPA Sections 18 (abetting the commission of, a terrorist act or any act preparatory to the commission of a terrorist act), 121 (waging war) and 153-B (promoting enmity between...

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