The Supreme Court on Tuesday cancelled the bail of Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali, a Kashmiri businessman, accused in a terror funding case linked to Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed. The judgment assumes significance in the light of the government's recent crackdown on separatist outfits based in the State. The apex court's verdict came on an appeal filed by the NIA against the high court's September 13, 2018 judgment granting him bail. The impugned judgment and order (of the High Court) is set aside and, instead, the order passed by the Designated Court (NIA court) rejecting the application for grant of bail made by the respondent herein, is affirmed,” the court said in its 89-page verdict. NIA in its appeal had contended that the High Court had virtually conducted a mini trial and even questioned the genuineness of the documents relied upon by the agency.

Source: The Hindu April 02, 2019 19:30 UTC