Kashmiri separatist figure Shabir Ahmad Shah has been apprehended by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for his alleged involvement in a case dating back 30 years related to assaults on police officers. Shah was detained by the NIA’s Srinagar unit and later presented before a Delhi court, which granted a three-day transit remand to allow the agency to transfer him to Jammu and Kashmir for further inquiries.
The charges against Shah date back to 1996 and revolve around purported attacks on police personnel. Following his arrest, Shah was brought before the Patiala House Court, which approved the NIA’s request for transit remand. Notably, this arrest follows shortly after Shah was released on bail by the Supreme Court in a separate terror funding case under NIA investigation, considering factors such as his extended imprisonment, age, and the slow pace of the trial.
In a ruling on March 12, Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta highlighted the significance of prolonged incarceration, especially when trials are expected to prolong, in bail considerations. The Supreme Court imposed strict conditions on Shah post-bail, including travel and communication restrictions, as well as mandatory reporting to the investigating officer. Subsequently, on March 28, a Delhi court also granted him bail in a money laundering case probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Shah, aged 74, has faced numerous legal battles over the years, spending extensive periods in custody and detention. In 2017, the NIA had charged Shah and 11 others with criminal conspiracy for allegedly raising funds to disrupt peace in Jammu and Kashmir through activities like stone-pelting, damaging public property, and planning to wage war against the government. The NIA accuses Shah of playing a significant role in promoting separatist actions in the Union Territory by inciting the public, endorsing secession, honoring slain militants as “martyrs,” and receiving funds through illicit channels for subversive activities in the region.
