Supreme Court upholds bail for Kashmiri activist Khurram Parvez

The Supreme Court of India has dismissed a petition filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) challenging the bail granted to Kashmiri human rights activist Khurram Parvez. The court declined to interfere with the Delhi High Court order, citing the long period Parvez has spent in custody.

Parvez was arrested in Srinagar on November 22, 2021, under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The NIA alleges that he was involved in a network linked to the banned organization Lashkar-e-Taiba, which allegedly recruited overground workers, gathered intelligence on security installations, and facilitated terror funding. Parvez denies these allegations.

During the proceedings, counsel for Parvez noted that the activist has a prosthetic leg and has been incarcerated for nearly five years. It was also noted that the framing of charges has been delayed as the NIA sought additional time to file a supplementary chargesheet. The Delhi High Court had previously granted bail, observing that the prolonged incarceration and slow trial progress warranted release under the right to personal liberty.