Early Times Report
JAMMU, Aug 20: The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has dismissed the bail plea of Syed Iftikhar Andrabi, a 53-year-old resident of Handwara, Kupwara, who is facing trial in a high-profile narco-terrorism case investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
A Division Bench comprising Justice Sanjeev Kumar and Justice Sanjay Parihar upheld the order of the Special NIA Court, Jammu, which had earlier rejected Andrabi's bail application in connection with RC: 03/2020/NIA/JMU registered under the NDPS Act, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and IPC.
The appellant was represented by Warisha Farasat, Advocate, along with Umair A. Andrabi, Tanisha, and Suvarna Swain, Advocates. They contended that Andrabi, a political activist, had been falsely implicated after his release from preventive detention in 2019 and has already undergone nearly five years in custody. The defence argued that there was no direct evidence against him and sought parity with co-accused who were granted bail.
On the other hand, the NIA was represented by Vishal Sharma, Deputy Solicitor General of India (DSGI), assisted by Chandan Kumar Singh, Special Public Prosecutor (NIA). They opposed the bail plea, asserting that Andrabi had direct links with Pakistan-based handlers of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen and was part of a cross-border syndicate engaged in drug trafficking and terror financing.
The Bench observed that on the disclosure of the appellant, 3.2 kg of heroin and cash amounting to more than ?35 lakh were recovered, and mobile data suggested his communication with operatives across the border. While acknowledging that Andrabi had spent almost five years in custody, the Court held that the seriousness of charges and evidence on record outweighed his plea for bail.
The Division Bench ruled that the trial was at an early stage and premature to conclude that the accusations were baseless. "The material laid by prosecution prima facie shows complicity of the appellant in narco-terror activities," the Court said, dismissing the appeal along with connected applications.
(JNF) |
