J&K: PDP leader Waheed Parra granted bail in terror case

Parra was arrested in connection with a case relating to Hizbul Mujahideen militant Naveed Babu and DySP Davinder Singh.

PDP youth wing leader Waheed Parra, who was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for alleged militant links on November 25 last year, was granted bail on Saturday.

A Special Judge for NIA cases Suneet Gupta ordered Parra’s release upon furnishing a bail bond and personal surety of Rs one lakh each. The judge also directed Parra to surrender his passport to the court.

The bail order came when Parra’s counsels, senior advocate P N Raina along with advocates Alik Bambroo and Jahanzaib A Hamal, countered the NIA’s objections to the bail application on ground that investigations in the matter were still in progress and his release can influence prosecution witnesses.

Parra had been in custody since November 25, first of NIA for 24 days and then in judicial custody for a month, the counsels pointed out.

Parra, who had been instrumental in revival of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in South Kashmir, was arrested by NIA three days after he had filed nomination papers for the maiden District Development Council elections from Pulwama. Parra had won the election while being in custody.

According to NIA, he was arrested in connection with a case relating to Hizbul Mujahideen militant Naveed Babu and DySP Davinder Singh who were arrested by police on January 11 while travelling together in a car. The case was transferred to NIA, which charged Singh of providing shelter to Hizbul Mujahideen militants for a long time, besides aiding and abetting their activities at the behest of Pakistan.

It had first obtained 15 days remand for Partra’s custodial interrogation from the NIA court which was later extended by nine more days. Thereafter, Parra was sent to judicial custody for a month. He had been in jail since.

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