Journalist Gowhar Geelani absconding: J-K Police to court

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Saturday informed a court in Pulwama district that journalist Gowhar Geelani, facing charges related to apprehension of threat to peace, has not been arrested and is "absconding".

The court of the Executive Magistrate (First Class) Shopian on Thursday had directed police to arrest Geelani after he failed to appear before it on a previous date of hearing.

Summon was issued to Geelani under sections 107 and 151 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (apprehension of threat to peace, law and order) on February 3.

"We could not arrest Geelani as he is absconding," Heerpora Station House Officer (SHO) Lateef Ahmad said.

He said police have informed the court that Geelani is absconding.

The Executive Magistrate (First Class), usually an officer of the rank of Tehsildar, had on Thursday directed the SHO to arrest Geelani after he did not appear in the court on last date of hearing on February 7. The magistrate had also directed the police to present Geelani before the court on February 19.

Meanwhile, posters issued by an unknown group surfaced in Pulwama offering reward for Geelani's whereabouts.

The absconding "alleged journalist and essentially a stenogropher of terrorism and vehicle of insurgency Gowhar Geelani. Anyone giving information on his whereabouts would be rewarded with Rs 50,000. Identity of the informant would be kept discreet, the poster read.

The poster only mentioned an email address of the group called as Civil Society Volunteers Group of Kashmir.