Hours after being granted bail by a National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Saturday, journalist Fahad Shah was arrested again in another case and shifted to a different police station in south Kashmir’s Sophian district, his lawyer Omair Ronga said.

As the family and friends of Shah were waiting outside Pulwama police station for his release on Saturday, police informed them that he has been arrested in another case registered at Imamsahib police station in Shopian, the lawyer added.

“Pulwama police handed him over to a police party from Shopian. Though we were not served any notice recently in this case, they (police) have simply changed the custody,” said Ronga.

Shah, 33, was arrested on February 4 for allegedly glorifying terrorism, spreading fake news and inciting people of Jammu and Kashmir. Police have claimed that three separate first information reports (FIRs) were registered against Shah, who runs a news portal and magazine — Kashmiri Walla — in the last four years.

“Fahad Shah is wanted in 3 cases for glorifying terrorism, spreading fake news & inciting general public for creating L&O situations: FIR No. 70/2020 of PS Safakadal Srinagar, FIR No. 06/2021 of PS Imamsahib, Shopian & currently has been arrested in FIR No. 19/2022 of PS Pulwama,” Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Range, Vijay Kumar had said soon after Shah’s arrest.

Earlier on Saturday, the NIA court granted interim bail to Shah till March 12. “The police have been informed of the court decision through a docket and we are waiting for his release,” Ronga told HT.

Shah’s arrest triggered widespread condemnation and demands of his release by national and international media and human rights activists and organisations.