Kashmir court orders release of Kashmiri journalist Asif Sultan
Sultan, who was accused of ‘harboring known militants,’ was imprisoned for more than 5 years
SRINAGAR, Jammu and Kashmir
A regional court in Indian-administered Kashmir on Monday quashed the preventive detention of journalist Asif Sultan and ordered his immediate release.
The bench of Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir region while ordering the release of Sultan said that the procedural requirements were not followed by authorities while detaining him.
“As a corollary, authorities are directed to set the detenu at liberty forthwith provided he is not required in any other case,” the court said.
Sultan was arrested on Aug. 27, 2018, and booked under India’s anti-terror law. He was accused of “harboring known militants” which his family had vehemently denied.
He was granted bail last year but was soon booked under the Public Safety Act, for which a person is kept behind bars for up to two years without trial.
Last month, the regional court ordered the release of journalist Fahad Shah and quashed the preventive detention of another journalist Sajad Gul.
