Supreme Court Seeks NIA Response on Kashmiri Separatist Shabir Shah’s Bail Plea, Interim Bail Denied
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The Supreme Court of India on Thursday issued a notice to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), seeking its response within two weeks on the regular bail plea of Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah in a high-profile terror-funding case.
The apex court, however, rejected Shah’s request for interim bail, citing that the matter would be heard on the scheduled date after NIA’s reply. Representing Shah, senior advocate Colin Gonsalves argued that the 74-year-old leader has been in jail for six years and that out of nearly 400 witnesses listed in the case, only 15 have been examined so far. He urged the court to consider Shah’s age and health condition and grant him interim relief until the regular bail hearing.
The Supreme Court, however, made it clear that no interim relief would be granted and the plea will only be decided after NIA submits its response. Earlier, the Delhi High Court had dismissed Shah’s bail plea, prompting him to approach the Supreme Court. Shah was arrested by the NIA on 4 June 2019 and is accused of promoting separatist activities in Jammu and Kashmir, raising funds through hawala for terrorism, and maintaining links with Pakistan-based terror groups including Hizbul Mujahideen’s Syed Salahuddin and Lashkar-e-Taiba’s Hafiz Saeed.
The NIA alleges that Shah played a key role in funding terror operations and fueling unrest in the Kashmir Valley. His arrest and subsequent trial have been at the center of national attention in the fight against terror financing and separatism in Jammu and Kashmir. The case will come up for hearing again in two weeks.
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