Delhi Court orders Release Kashmiri Separatist Leader Shabir Ahmad Shah

A Delhi court has ordered the release of Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah in a money laundering case linked to terror funding.

The order was issued by Additional Sessions Judge Dheeraj Mor of Patiala House Courts after observing that Shah has already served the maximum sentence of seven years under Section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The court noted that Shah had been in continuous custody since July 26, 2017, amounting to over seven years of imprisonment.

“Accordingly, in view of proviso to Section 436A CrPC, he is entitled to be released in this case. Therefore, he is directed to be released from judicial custody in this case. Release warrants be issued. He be released forthwith, if not required in any other case,” the court stated.The case will next be heard on October 23 for arguments on the charges.

In June, the court had granted statutory bail to Shah, acknowledging that he had already served more than half of the maximum sentence for the money laundering offense.  “Even if he is granted bail in this case, he is not likely to be released from the jail in the other said offences before 24.07.2024 i.e. the date on which the maximum punishment of 07 years in the present case expires for him as an under-trial prisoner,” the court had noted.