Special Court Grants Bail to Photojournalist Kamran Yousuf

Jammu and Kashmir CM Mehbooba Mufti had requested Union Home minister Rajnath Singh to look into the case.

File photo of Kamran Yousuf.

(Photo Courtesy: Kamran Yousuf/Facebook)

Photojournalist Kamran Yousuf, arrested by the NIA in September for allegedly encouraging stone pelting and mobilising support against security personnel, was on Monday, 12 March granted bail by a special court in Srinagar, officials said.

Without giving further details, the NIA officials confirmed that Yusuf had been granted bail.

He was arrested by the agency on 5 September for allegedly indulging in stone pelting and mobilising support against security personnel through social media.

According to the NIA, Yusuf was allegedly involved in stone pelting incidents, besides organising groups of youths who would throw stones at security personnel involved in counter-insurgency operations.

Yusuf, who had often been warned by the local police, was allegedly mobilising the youth and clicking their pictures for circulation in local and national newspapers.

The NIA in its chargesheet had listed the "moral duty of a journalist" to highlight what it claimed was improper conduct.

“Had he been a real journalist by profession, he may have performed one of the moral duties of a journalist ,which is to cover the activities (good or bad) in his jurisdiction. He never covered any development activity, inauguration of a hospital, school building, road, bridge, statements of political parties or the government of India”, the NIA had said in its chargesheet filed against him and nine others on 19 January 2018.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had on Sunday, 11 March, requested Union Home minister Rajnath Singh to look into the case.

NIA officials had also alleged that Yusuf was acting as a conduit for those involved in terror funding. Kashmir editors guild and journalists in the valley have also sought his release, saying his arrest violated the freedom of the press.