Srinagar: A special NIA court in Jammu framed charges against two accused persons, Fahad Shah and Ala Fazali in connection with a sedition case registered against them by the State Investigation Agency (SIA) last year.
The Special Judge designated under the NIA Act, Jammu, Ashwani Kumar framed the charges against the two accused in the case (FIR No 01/2022) of Police Station SIA Jammu.
Official said that the case pertains to information received by Police Station CIJ (SIA Jammu) on April 4, 2022, along with a copy of an article ‘The Shackles of Slavery Will Break’ written by Aala Fazili and published in the digital magazine (portal) ‘The Kashmir Walla’ through its Editor-in-Chief cum Director Peerzada Fahad Shah.
They said that the duo accused under an active conspiracy and Pakistan’s support had resurrected a platform reviving the narrative in support of terrorist and separatist ecosystem.
Officials said that the duo had been spreading the anti-India narrative by exploiting the digital platforms under a concealed and camouflaged set-up, with the help of illicit funding received from hostile foreign agencies and proscribed terrorist organisations.
They said that the investigation had established that the accused duo was in touch with secessionists across the border and also with some identified terrorists locally.
The officials said that through their publications, the duo brazenly advocated terrorism and glorified the terrorists with the sole intention to radicalise the youth of the J&K and to entice and incite them in joining secessionist and terrorist organisations.
They said that the SIA had charge-sheeted the case in the court of Special Judge under NIA Act, Jammu on October 13, 2022, after procuring the requisite government sanction, which came up for hearing on charge and discharge on March 16, 2023.
The officials said that the Additional PP representing the J&K government vehemently argued the case in the court.
They said that after hearing the rival contentions, the Special Court found sufficient material against the duo accused collected by the SIA and framed the charges against Aala Fazili under Section 13 (unlawful activity), 18 (conspiracy, advocating, abetting, inciting, facilitating a terrorist act or any preparation to commit a terrorist act), UA (P) Act, 121 (abetting waging of war against the Government of India) 153 B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration), and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and against Fahad Shah under Section 13 (unlawful activity), 18 UA(P) Act (conspiracy, advocating, abetting, inciting, facilitating a terrorist act or any preparation to commit a terrorist act), 121 (abetting waging of war against the Government of India), 153-B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration) IPC and 35 (accepting foreign contribution in contravention of provisions of FCRA, or any order or rule therein), 39 (violation of FCRA by a company tantamount to contravention by the persons incharge or responsible for business of such company) of Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010.