Police add sedition charge to Masrat Alam's arrest

Under pressure from New Delhi, the state government overnight added charges of sedition and waging war against the country to Masrat Alam's detention who has now been formally arrested.

Police late on Friday added section 121A (waging war against the country) and section 124 (sedition) to FIR lodged against hardliner, Masrat Alam.

Following the additional charges, Alam was produced before the chief judicial magistrate (CJM) Badgam who remanded him to police custody for a week.

On Friday, after being placed under preventive house arrest at his old Srinagar city, Zaindar Mohalla locality, Alam was shifted first to the nearby Shaheedgunj police station and later to Humhama police station in central Badgam district.

An FIR number 92/2015 was lodged against him and Syed Ali Geelani on April 14 at Humhama police station after Pakistan flags were displayed and anti-India slogans shouted by youths during a separatist rally.

Earlier, the FIR lodged against Alam included criminal sections of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) pertaining to mischief causing damage, attacking governme nt officers on duty, rioting and criminal conspiracy.

The addition of sections 121A and 124 dealing with waging war against the country and sedition have been added to the FIR as additional charges against the accused persons after handling of the case attracted criticism from the central government including the union home minister, Rajnath Singh.

Top sources in New Delhi told IANS Singh was believed to have had some tough talk over the issue with state chief minister, Mufti Muhammad Sayeed who sources said assured the union home minister that the activities against the integrity of the country would not be to tolerated.

Meanwhile, Geelani has called for a Valley wide shutdown on Saturday against the arrest of Masrat Alam.