A Delhi court on Saturday granted bail to Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Ahmed Shah in a money laundering case, paving the way for his release from prison.
Special judge Prashant Sharma of Patiala House Courts passed the order saying the Supreme Court had already granted Shah bail on March 12 in the predicate offence of terror funding. He observed that this was a material fact in Shah’s favour.
The judge said that necessary bail conditions would be imposed to ensure that the accused neither flees justice nor influences witnesses. “...[Shah] is granted bail on furnishing of personal bond/surety bond of ₹one lakh each with two sureties [out of which, one should be a local surety of Delhi]...,” the trial court said. It directed Shah not to leave the country, his state of residence, and surrender his passport.
Shah submitted that he is over 70 and has remained incarcerated for over eight years. On March 12, the Supreme Court granted Shah bail in the alleged terror funding case, saying the trial was unlikely to conclude within a reasonable time and continued detention could curtail his personal liberty.
The National Investigation Agency has accused Shah of inciting secessionist demonstrations, glorifying deceased militants, leveraging hawala and cross-Line of Control trade to fund subversive activities. Shah is accused of playing a “substantial role” in facilitating a separatist movement in Jammu and Kashmir by inciting the public to raise slogans supporting secession.