New Delhi [India], March 13 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Thursday granted bail to Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah in an alleged terror funding case registered under the Prevention of Unlawful Activities Act (UAPA).

In 2019, Shah was arrested in a case registered by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against him and other separatist leaders in 2017. The separatist leader has not been released from judicial custody ever since.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta granted him liberty after hearing detailed submissions from Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves appearing for Shah on one hand and Senior Advocate Siddharth Luthra representing the NIA, on the other.

Shah, who led the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP), a prominent separatist organisation in the Kashmir valley, was booked for various offences in connection with the alleged secession of the Kashmir region.

During the course of hearing, the counsel representing him submitted that Shah was not named by the NIA in its initial chargesheet and was only made an accused in the supplementary chargesheet filed after his arrest, and he has been in custody for more than six years. The counsel argued that there are more than 400 witnesses to be examined in the matter, and the trial is not likely to be completed anytime soon.

The NIA, on the other hand, submitted that Shah is a key accused in having raised funds for unlawful activities with the object of creating disruptions in the valley.

Earlier, Shah had approached the Delhi High Court seeking bail after the trial court denied him liberty in 2023.

The Delhi High Court, however, also denied him relief by noting that there is overwhelming evidence against the separatist leader and allegations against him prima facie appear to be true. The High Court had also noted that there were 24 FIRs registered against Shah in connection with similar offences.

Shah then approached the apex court challenging the High Court's decision to reject his plea. The apex court has now granted him bail. (ANI)