Budgam court rejects Masarat’s bail plea

Ishfaq Tantry

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 25

A court in Budgam today rejected separatist leader Masarat Alam’s bail plea in the Pakistani flag hoisting case in which he has been charged with sedition and waging war against the country.

Alam was booked under the Public Safety Act and later shifted to high-security Kot Bhalwal jail on April 23. He was arrested by the J&K Police on April 17 from his Habbakadal residence following the registration of an FIR against him, Geelani and others on April 15 on charges of sedition, waging war against the country and other offences.

The Chief Judicial magistrate, Budgam, before whom Masarat moved his bail plea, had reserved the matter for final orders on April 22 after concluding arguments in the case. The court was slated to announce its final order on the bail plea today.

Masarat’s release from Baramulla sub-jail in early March had created an outrage at the national level, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing anguish in Parliament over the decision of the Mufti government to release the separatist leader.