NEW DELHI, Sept 7: Kashmiri journalist Iftikhar Geelani, the son-in-law of Jamaat-i-Islami leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, was slapped on Saturday with charges, including that of spying for Pakistan, news reports said.

Star News said that Delhi police had charged the journalist, who was arrested on June 9, with supplying sensitive documents to Pakistan on the deployment of Indian troops and para-military forces in Jammu and Kashmir.

“In its chargesheet filed in the court of chief metropolitan magistrate the special cell of Delhi police charged Geelani under sections 3 and 9 of the official secrets act and sections 120-B (Criminal Conspiracy) and 292 (obscenity) of IPC,” Star news said.

The magistrate took cognizance of the chargesheet and fixed Sept 16 for further proceedings. The court would also hear Mr Geelani’s bail plea the same day.

The filing of chargesheet came just two days before the expiry of 90-day statutory period from the date of his arrest.

Police claimed that Mr Geelani, Delhi bureau chief of Kashmir Times, “had revealed that documents recovered from his residence, showing troops strength in the Valley, were supplied by him to Pakistan,” the report said.—J.N