Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah has received major relief from the Supreme Court of India, which granted him conditional bail in a terror-funding case after he spent more than six years in prison. The case relates to allegations of financing separatist activities in the Kashmir Valley. A bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta delivered the order after hearing detailed arguments from both sides.
During the hearing, Shah’s counsel argued that his client’s name did not appear in the primary chargesheet filed by the National Investigation Agency and was included only in a supplementary chargesheet. The lawyer told the court that the case was registered in 2017 and Shah was arrested in 2019, adding that he has already spent over six years in custody.
The defence also pointed out that the trial is expected to take a long time as nearly 400 witnesses are listed in the case. Given the lengthy process and prolonged incarceration, Shah’s counsel urged the court to grant bail, stating that continued detention would be unjust while the trial remains incomplete.
Opposing the plea, the NIA argued that Shah allegedly played a significant role in separatist activities and warned that granting bail could allow him to influence witnesses or interfere with the investigation. The agency maintained that the allegations against him were serious and required strict judicial scrutiny.
Earlier, the Delhi High Court had rejected Shah’s bail plea, stating that there was sufficient material to believe the accusations against him and noting that he was facing several similar cases. Challenging that decision, Shah approached the Supreme Court, which has now granted him conditional bail, potentially paving the way for his release after more than six years in jail.