Jammu and Kashmir police have taken a Kashmiri Pandit activist, Rakesh Handoo, into custody following allegations of cyberterrorism. Mr. Handoo, a resident of Faridabad, Haryana, was arrested on October 17, 2026, after allegedly manipulating and repeatedly sharing terror-related threat content on the platform X. According to officials, the accused had previously failed to comply with three separate notices to join the ongoing investigation, necessitating the issuance of an arrest warrant.
The investigation stems from a complaint filed on September 17, 2026, by a Kashmiri migrant employee currently working under the Prime Minister’s Rehabilitation Package. Police allege that the accused circulated material purportedly issued by groups identifying as 'Soldier of Resistance' and the 'United Liberation Council.' The investigation suggests that Mr. Handoo altered these documents to include the complainant’s name, falsely portraying the individual as a specific target of extremist threats.
Following his arrest, the accused was produced before a court in the Sopore police district, where a magistrate remanded him to five days of police custody on Tuesday. Legal representatives for the accused, led by advocate Aazim Ahmad Pandit, confirmed that the defense is currently evaluating the jurisdictional aspects of the case. They noted that the police have invoked Sections 66F and 84C of the Information Technology Act. Section 66F, which deals with cyberterrorism, falls under the purview of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act, prompting the defense to prepare a bail application for the appropriate designated court.
Defense counsel Mr. Pandit maintained that his client’s actions do not meet the legal threshold for a cyberterrorism charge. He argued that the allegations concern a limited number of social media posts and disputed the gravity of the accusations leveled by the authorities. Mr. Pandit noted that the defense was initially unaware of the specific sections invoked, which led to an initial bail attempt in the magistrate's court before shifting focus to the designated court tasked with handling such matters.
Police officials stated that they have seized two mobile phones and obtained details of the accused's social media account for technical examination. While the investigation is ongoing, authorities indicated that they have seized eight relevant social media posts and various pieces of documentary evidence. Officials confirmed that forensic and technical analysis reports from the Forensic Science Laboratory are currently awaited to solidify the case.
The arrest occurs against the backdrop of heightened security concerns within the Kashmir Valley. Earlier in August, reports of circulating threat letters targeting Kashmiri Pandits prompted security agencies to tighten protocols in areas with high populations of migrant workers. These security measures included allowing some employees under the Prime Minister’s Package to work from home on a temporary basis. The group Panun Kashmir had previously raised alarm over a purported threat letter from the United Liberation Council that contained the names and phone numbers of various community members.
Mr. Handoo is a known figure in local political circles, having contested the 2008 Assembly elections against National Conference president Farooq Abdullah in the Hazratbal constituency, though he was unsuccessful. As the legal proceedings move forward, the case highlights the growing challenges faced by authorities in addressing digital threats and the potential for severe legal consequences for those found manipulating sensitive terror-related information online.
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