Srinagar, July 29: The High Court of J&K and Ladakh has granted interim anticipatory bail to Yash Raj Sharma, the ‘Editor’ of ‘The Kashmir Wala’, a magazine with an online news portal. The Editor-in-Chief of the news portal, Peerzada Shah Fahad, is already in detention under Public Safety Act (PSA).
A bench of Justice Sanjay Dhar granted the interim bail to Sharma in the case (FIR No. 06/2021) for offences under sections 153 and 505 of Indian Penal Code IPC registered with the Police Station, Imamsahib, Shopian.
A resident of Rajasthan, Sharma seeks bail in anticipation of his arrest and according to his counsel N A Ronga, the accused feels unsafe in approaching the court of 1st instance at Shopian, keeping in view the prevailing security situation in the south Kashmir district.
It is on this ground, Ronga contends, that Sharma invoked the jurisdiction of the High Court without first exhausting the remedy of moving the Court of 1st instance (Judicial Magistrate Shopian).
“Having heard counsel for the petitioner and having perused the material on record a case for grant of interim indulgence is made out,” the Court said while issuing notice to the government for filing response by September 2.
In the meantime, the court admitted Sharma to interim anticipatory bail in the FIR subject to him furnishing personal bond with a surety bond in the amount of Rs. 50,000 each.”
Sharma was asked to co-operate with the investigating agency as and when required and not to leave the limits of Jammu and Kashmir except with the prior permission of the Investigating Officer concerned. “He shall not try to hamper or tamper with the prosecution evidence in any manner whatsoever,” Court said.