SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday imposed the stringent Public Safety Act on hardline separatist leader Masarat Alam Bhat, who was arrested last week on sedition charges.
The imposing of PSA implies that Alam will have to stay in jail for a minimum period of two years. He has also been booked under Sections 121-A (waging war against the country), 124 (Sedition), 120-B (Criminal Conspiracy), 147 (rioting) of Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) and other minor offences.
The government took the decision a day after a Budgam court reserved its orders till April 25 on a bail application moved by Alam.
Bhat’s counsel had moved the bail application before the Budgam Chief Judicial Magistrate in the case relating to provocative activities, including hoisting of Pakistani flag, during a rally organised in Hyderpora area on April 15 to welcome separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani in Srinagar.
The court heard the arguments from both sides and reserved the orders on the bail application till Saturday.Bhat was arrested on April 16 “for his seditious activities” during the rally.
Police had registered a case against Bhat, Hurriyat conference chairman Geelani and several other separatist leaders for the provocative activities.