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Delhi court to decide on bail application of Kashmiri photojournalist accused of stone pelting

The NIA arrested Yousuf in September 2017, and he has been seeking bail since.

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After months of speculation, a district and sessions court in the national capital may decide on a bail application of a Kashmiri photojournalist who has been accused of stone pelting by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Last year, the NIA registered an FIR against Yousuf and 11 others under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) "for conspiring to wage war against the Government of India by carrying out terrorist and secessionist activities in the State of Jammu & Kashmir."

Along with Yousuf, the Chiefs of Jamat-ud-Dawah and Hizbul Mujahideen Hafiz Saeed and Syed Salahuddin, respectively, have also been charged. According to the 13,000-paged chargesheet, the NIA has alleged that Yousuf was a stonepelter and worked as a photojournalist as a front to "cover up his actual subversive activities".

The NIA arrested Yousuf in September 2017, and he has been seeking bail since. However, the matter has been pending at the district and sessions court at Patiala House Court with no end in sight. The trial court was supposed to adjudicate on the matter last Friday, however, the matter was delayed when the NIA submitted additional documents to argue against bail.

The NIA has suggested that Yousuf was not really a photojournalist since his reportage was skewed. The NIA has suggested that Yousuf's reportage is biased since he only reports anti-national activities. He has failed to highlight initiatives undertaken by the army like blood donation drives, free medical camp and other activities under sadbhavna. "Had he been a real journalist/stringer by profession, he may had performed one of the moral duty of a journalist which is to cover activities and happening (good or bad) in his jurisdiction. He had never covered any developmental activity of any government department.." says the NIA charge sheet.

While the NIA charge sheet says the videos were uploaded on new channel of Greater Kashmir News, they have failed to question the owner of channel to ascertain intentions behind. Signalling Yusuf alone has raised questions on the NIA probe. The NIA has admitted that they could not found any international number of links or any contact number of any stone pelter or terrorist in his phone. In the 42 audio files found in his mobile, they also relate to telephonic conversation between him and his girl friend and media persons.

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