The State Investigation Agency (SIA) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police today conducted raids and searches at the head office of the daily Kashmir Times, situated at Residency Road, Jammu.
According to an official handout, the searches were conducted in the presence of an Executive Magistrate and were carried out as part of the ongoing investigation into the case registered against the media house Kashmir Times / kashmirtimes.com for its alleged involvement in a criminal conspiracy with secessionist and other anti-national entities operating within and outside Jammu & Kashmir.
The FIR alleges that this media platform has been involved in disseminating terrorist and secessionist ideology, spreading inflammatory, fabricated, and false narratives, attempting to radicalise the youth of Jammu & Kashmir, inciting disaffection and separatist sentiments, disturbing peace and public order, and challenging the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India through its print and digital content.
The FIR alleges that this media platform has been involved in:
- Disseminating terrorist and secessionist ideology
- Spreading inflammatory, fabricated, and false narratives
- Attempting to radicalise the youth of Jammu & Kashmir
- Inciting disaffection and separatist sentiments
- Disturbing peace and public order
- Challenging the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India through print and digital content
During the raid conducted at the office premises of Kashmir Times at Residency Road, Jammu, the following incriminating arms and ammunition were recovered: one revolver, 14 empty cases of AK-series weapons, three live AK rounds, four fired bullets, three grenade safety levers, and three suspected pistol rounds.
The following incriminating arms and ammunition were recovered:
- 01 Revolver
- 14 Empty cases of AK-series weapons
- 03 Live AK rounds
- 04 Fired bullets
- 03 Grenade safety levers
- 03 Suspected pistol rounds
"All recovered items were seized on the spot following due legal procedures. These recoveries indicate possible unlawful possession and suspected linkages with extremist or anti-national elements, warranting further detailed investigation," the statement reads.
"House search of Prabodh Jamwal, the owner of the media house situated at Gandhi Nagar, Jammu, was also conducted in pursuance of the same investigation," the statement further added.
The SIA further stated that the seized arms, ammunition, digital devices, and documents will undergo forensic and technical examination to determine their origin, purpose, and any potential connections to proscribed organizations or individuals. The investigation remains active, and further action will be taken based on emerging evidence.
Political parties react to the raid
Reacting to the development, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Singh Choudhary said that any action by the investigating agency must be strictly based on evidence of wrongdoing.
"If they have done something wrong, then action should be taken. If they have done wrong, they will face the consequences. But it should not be done just to exert pressure. If you do it only to put pressure, then that will be wrong," he told reporters.
PDP leader Iltija Mufti, daughter of party chief Mehbooba Mufti, said Kashmir Times had long resisted attempts to silence it.
Kashmir Times is one of those rare newspapers in Kashmir that not only spoke truth to power but refused to bend or buckle under pressure & intimidation. Raiding their offices under the guise of carrying out anti national activities is preposterous & reeks of high handedness. In…
— Iltija Mufti (@IltijaMufti_) November 20, 2025
"Kashmir Times is one of those rare newspapers in Kashmir that not only spoke truth to power but refused to bend or buckle under pressure and intimidation.
Raiding their offices under the guise of carrying out anti-national activities is preposterous and reeks of high-handedness.
In Kashmir, every outlet of truth is being choked by invoking the anti-national slur. Are we all anti-nationals?" she asked.
PDP youth president Aditya Gupta also criticised the raid, invoking the legacy of the newspaper's founder.
"Shri Ved Bhasin, the founder of Kashmir Times, built one of the boldest voices in J&K — fearless, truthful, and impossible to silence.
His daughter Anuradha Bhasin carried that legacy forward with the same grit.
For decades, the paper exposed some of Kashmir's biggest stories of human rights abuses, disappearances, governance failures, and major political shifts.
Through every threat and every pressure, Kashmir Times stood unshaken," he said.
