Editor held in J&K for ‘ISI link’

Among other charges,the News Agency of Kashmir (NAK) director is accused of forwarding maps,photographs and other information pertaining to the Baglihar hydel project as well as border roads in the Jammu region,apart from important flyovers in the city,to the ISI.

A police official said Ganai never e-mailed any information directly to the ISI. “He saved it in “drafts” category in his e-mails. ISI officials in Pakistan had the passwords of the accounts and used to download information at their end.”

Senior Superintendent of Police,Jammu,Basant Rath said Ganai was arrested by the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the state police late on Saturday and has been booked under Section 3 of the Enemy Agent Act,Information Technology Act and 120-B of the Ranbir Penal Code.

Ganai’s family has always been associated with mainstream politics in the Valley,and due to their stand,often came under attacks from militants before they finally migrated to Jammu.

Pointing out that his father remained with the NC even at the height of militancy,a colleague of Ganai said: “As far as I know,he has never been an anti-national either by birth or by heart.” After Ganai’s arrest,his family is believed to have gone to the Valley and could not be reached on phone.

Another colleague said: “He never had any access to vital information.”

Sources said NKA is an online news agency that can be accessed by payment and some money from the Gulf in its account may have got it into trouble.