A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court has granted a conditional bail to journalist Asif Sultan in Srinagar and barred him from using encrypted messaging application or virtual private network (VPN) on mobile phone and directed to notify police about his new mobile phone or SIM card.
“Having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case...i.e. the accused has been in the custody from the last 72 days, the fact that the recovery has been made from the place of occurrence and sent to FSL and most of investigation has been completed, the interest of justice will be served in case the applicant is admitted to bail, at this stage,” the NIA court observed.
Mr. Sultan worked as assistant editor with the magazine, Kashmir Narrator. He was released in February this year after more than five years of jail and was immediately re-arrested by the J&K Police in a separate case in Srinagar.
