The State Investigation Agency of the Jammu and Kashmir Police conducted searches on Thursday at the Jammu office of Kashmir Times. The searches were carried out in connection with a case accusing the publication of promoting anti national activities.
Officials said SIA teams examined the premises thoroughly, checking documents, digital equipment and computer systems. During the search, investigators claimed to have recovered AK series rifle cartridges, pistol rounds and some other items, which have now been taken for further examination.
Authorities said the action followed the registration of a case against the newspaper and individuals linked to it.
Kashmir Times editor Anuradha Bhasin has previously been in the spotlight for approaching the Supreme Court in August 2019 against the communication curbs imposed in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.
Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Singh Choudhary reacted to the raids by saying that action should be taken against the newspaper only if the allegations are proven. He said it would be wrong if the agency was acting under pressure.
He told reporters that if something wrong has been done, there will be consequences, but such steps should not be taken just to pressurise anyone.
PDP leader Iltija Mufti criticised the action against the media organisation. She said Kashmir Times has been among the few newspapers that consistently spoke truth to power and refused to bend under pressure. She called the raids preposterous and an example of high handedness.
She said on X that in Kashmir every voice of truth is being silenced by labelling it anti national and asked whether everyone is being treated as anti national.
