Delhi High Court Grants Bail to Alleged LeT Fundraiser

The Delhi High Court has granted bail to Javed Ali, accused of funding Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives in Pakistan and other countries for terror activities in India. Ali, in judicial custody since November 2019, appealed a trial court's denial of bail. The prosecution presented insufficient evidence to justify further detention.

The Delhi High Court has granted bail to Javed Ali, who is accused of raising funds for the terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) for activities in India. The decision was made by a bench comprising Justices Prathiba M Singh and Amit Sharma, who overturned a trial court's April decision denying bail.

Ali has been in judicial custody since November 2019, with only nine out of 221 prosecution witnesses having been examined so far. Citing the lengthy nature of the trial, the High Court decided that the requirements for granting bail under Section 43D (5) of the UAPA had been satisfied.

While the National Investigation Agency (NIA) alleged Ali was involved in arranging funds through Hawala channels, the court found insufficient evidence to prove his responsibility in funding LeT operative Sheikh Abdul Nayeem. The prosecution failed to substantiate any transaction linking Ali directly to terror funding.

(With inputs from agencies.)