SRINAGAR Kashmir Observer reporter, Auqib Javeed, was questioned for three hours by National Investigation Agency (NIA) in New Delhi on Saturday. He has been summoned again on Sunday.
Auqib, an accredited journalist, was summoned by the investigating agency to its Delhi office for questioning in a sedition case filed against Dukhtaraan-e-Millat chief Asiya Andrabi and two of her aides.
I was asked questions regarding interviews of various persons done by me, types of stories which I do, my education including schooling and higher studies as well as family background, he said.
Auqib had on January 15 this year conducted interview of Asiya Andrabi and it had appeared in a local weekly magazine.
I entered the NIA office at around 4 p.m. and left at around 7 p.m. Two officers were in the room and their questions centered on my work and my person, he said, adding, Both the officers made me feel relaxed and offered tea and snacks.
Auqib was summoned to NIA headquarters in connection with the case (RC-17/2018/NIA/DLI ) DATED 27TH April, 2018. He was accompanied to NIA office by lawyer Vinod Trisal but was told that there is no need for a lawyer.
“Whereas it appears that you are acquainted with the circumstances of the case noted below, which is now under investigation by the superintendent of Police/NIA/New Delhi under chapter XII of the code of criminal procedure, you are hereby required to attend before the undersigned at Investigation Agency, Hgrs in New Delhi for the purpose of your examination relating to the case,” read a summon issued to Auqib.
On July 6, Andrabi and two of her associates were arrested by NIA and taken to New Delhi.
Kashmir Editors Guild has expressed concern over the development saying the frequent summoning of journalists is weakening democracy and the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of speech.
Journalist Bodies Flay Summons
Kashmir Working Journalist Association and Kashmir Journalist Association have taken strong note of the summoning of a Srinagar based journalist by National Investigative Agency for questioning to New Delhi, terming it as intimidation and harassment of Kashmiri journalist.
Auqib Javeed, an accredited journalist working with Kashmir Observer has been summoned to New Delhi by NIA, apparently for what appears to be a story he reported.
A joint statement from the associations, condemning the move, said the summoning reflects highhanded approach of the federal agency to ascribe motive to journalists professional work, and summon them like criminals.
It is also highly regrettable that Aquib has been summoned, out of station, at a very short notice, without giving a damn to how he manages to do it.
The NIAs ham-handed approach towards journalism has earlier also been exposed in its detention of the Kashmiri journalist Kamran Yousuf, last year, in whose case, the NIA even tried to define journalism by its own skewed standards.
Like in India, journalists in Kashmir are coming under unwarranted threats and scrutiny, from both state and non state players. It is no surprise that India has dipped on the press freedom index, prompting global watchdog, RSF, to issue incident report on India. It would be in the national interest for the federal authorities, as well as J&K, to improve their record for press freedom, rather than resort to authoritative measures, that further malign the image of the country, they said, adding, We also realize that the latest summon seems to part of a larger conspiracy to muzzle press freedom in Kashmir and terrorise its journalist fraternity.
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