Masarat Alam named in 3 more FIRs, inquiry on

Ishfaq Tantry

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 26

For questioning and threatening the integrity of India on three occasions in the past, the hardline separatist leader, Masarat Alam Bhat, is also named and wanted in three more FIRs registered against him across police stations in north Kashmir.

These three fresh cases, which are in addition to the one lodged at police station Budgam for waging war and sedition charges on April 15, stand registered at Sumbal, Kralgund and Sopore police stations in north Kashmir and are currently at investigation stage, official documents have revealed.

These FIRS have been registered against Alam following his release from four-year detention on March 7 this year from Baramulla sub-jail.

“On 28-03-2015, you visited village Markundal in Sumbal (Bandipora district) and addressed a huge public gathering and raised anti-national and pro-Pakistan occupied Kashmir slogans, besides instigating general public to rise against the national integrity and sovereignty of India, upon which case FIR No. 53/2015 under section 13 ULA(P) Act was registered in police station Sumbal, which is under investigation”, reads the dossier issued against Masarat by the police authorities, based upon which he was later booked under PSA by District Magistrate Budgam on April 21 and later on April 23 shifted to Kot Bhalwal jail.

“Similarly, on 98-04-2015, you (Masarat) led a procession through streets of village (Ganapora Kralgund) and ….delivered a highly provocative and anti-national speech to the gathering, mostly comprising youth. On this, a case FIR No.30/2015 was registered at police station Kralgund Handwara, which is still under investigation”, the dossier further reads.

Subsequently, on April 13, 2015, the dossier alleges, Masarat visited Arampora, Model Town and Muslim peer areas of Sopore. “(You) delivered highly provocative and anti-national speech to the gathering there. Provoking them against integrity and sovereignty of country, upon which a case FIR No. 68/2015 under section 153-A, 504 RC was registered by the Police station Sopore, which is under investigation”, the police has further revealed in the PSA dossier.

However, despite these FIRS and investigation taken up, Masarat was not arrested.

The separatist leader was arrested by the J&K Police only on April 17 from his Habbakadal home following an FIR against him for raising pro-Pakistan slogans and hoisting Pakistani flag during the April 15 rally to welcome hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

In the FIR registered on April 15 at the Budgam police station amid raging outrage over Pakistani flag hoisting, Masarat, Geelani and others were charged under sedition (121), waging war against the country (124-A) and other offences. Subsequently on April 25, a CJM court in Budgam rejected the bail plea of Masarat in the Budgam FIR.