NEW DELHI, Nov. 10, India: The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Mr. Bharat Bhushan has rejected the bail application of Mr. Shahid Siddiqi and Mr. Naseem Mirza, the editor and printer of Urdu weekly “Nayee Dhunia”. While remanding them in judicial custody until Nov. 26, The accused have been booked under the antiterrorist act and section 153A and 153B of the Indian Penal Code for an interview with President of Khalistan, Singh Chohan, which appeared in the magazine last November. While Mr. Siddiqi was arrested on Wednesday, Mr. Mirza was taken into custody on Friday. In this order, Mr. Bharat
Bhushan said that on the basis of the material available there was no: reasonable ground to believe that the accused were innocent of the charges against them. It may be recalled that the government invoked antiterrorist act earlier against three editors, namely: Sukhdev Singh of “Dignity”, T. Rajshekhar of “Dalat Voice” and Mr. Bharpur Singh Balbir of “Aj Di Awaz .In addition Mr. Pritish Nandi of “Illustrated Weekly of India” was also prohibited from publishing such writings while a case has been registered against Mr. Raj Krishna, editor of Economic and Political Weekly of Bombay.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 14, 1986
