Budgam court reserves order on Alam’s bail plea

A court in Budgam district on Wednesday reserved its decision on a bail plea moved by Hurriyat leader Masarat Alam, who was arrested on charges of “sedition” and “waging a war against the state” on April 17.

While the prosecution urged the court not to release Mr. Alam, calling him a “habitual offender” and a “threat to the integrity and sovereignty of India,” defence lawyers argued that their client’s charge sheet was “influenced” by the media coverage of the arrest.

“These two most important charges do not reflect anywhere in the FIR registered against my client and were added only after a media debate,” defence lawyer Shabir Ahmad told

The Hindu .

Chief Prosecuting Officer Mumtaz Salim, however, told the court that the police added sections 121 and 124(A) of the IPC after further “investigations.”