Raids at J-K scribes’ houses: Police say due process of law being followed

Srinagar, Sep 9 (PTI) The Jammu and Kashmir police on Thursday said it was following due process of law in connection with recent raids at the houses of four journalists here.

IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar asserted that the security force was not “harassing” the scribes, and only doing its job while investigating a sensitive case.

He advised media not to spread "false news” or “narratives which may amount to unnecessary interference" in the investigation.

"Those involved in the case will be arrested as and when adequate evidences are collected against them," the officer added.

The police had on Wednesday conducted searches at the residence of Hilal Mir, Shah Abbas, Azhar Qadri and Showkat Mitra, and later took them to a police station for questioning. They were released later in the evening that day, but their laptops and mobile phones were seized for technical evaluation.

Giving details of the investigation so far, a police spokesman said the matter came to the fore when the security personnel were probing another case registered at the Kothibagh Police Station.

The police came across credible evidence which linked the four journalists to a blog with “sensitive” content, he said.

On the basis of the evidences collected, searches were conducted at four different places after obtaining proper search warrants from the competent court of law, the spokesman said.

"For the purpose of investigation, all the above four persons were called for questioning and were allowed to go in the evening and have been directed to present themselves again on Friday," he said.

Many mobile numbers belonging to those in Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia have been found. The scribes have also been found to be in contact with various virtual numbers, the spokesman added.

PTI MIJ SRY