Delhi High Court Denies Bail to Kashmiri Separatist Leader Shabir Ahmad Shah

The Delhi High Court has dismissed an appeal for bail by Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah, who is in custody for a 2017 terror funding case. Despite challenging a prior court ruling, Shah remains in custody with 24 cases against him, including several unresolved and pending investigations.

In a significant ruling, the Delhi High Court on Thursday denied bail to Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah, a figure in the ongoing terror funding case spearheaded by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) since 2017. Shah, currently in judicial custody, had his appeal rejected by Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur.

According to court submissions, Shah faces charges in 24 separate cases—18 have charge sheets filed against him, three have been dismissed, and investigations continue on the remaining. Despite a lengthy judicial hold since 2017, Shah's legal counsel argued that the trial court overlooked the lack of material evidence against him and his prolonged detention without conviction.

The investigation alleges Shah's involvement in inciting separatist movements and handling funds sourced through illicit channels. Despite these charges, Shah's counsel contends that he has been unfairly targeted by the prosecution, emphasizing his history of promoting regional cooperation and tolerance through the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party.

(With inputs from agencies.)