New Delhi, 21 July (H.S.): The Delhi High Court on Tuesday dismissed the National Investigation Agency's (NIA) petition challenging the trial court's order granting bail to Kashmiri human rights activist Khurram Parvez and journalist Irfan Mehraj in a case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), clearing the way for their release.

A Bench headed by Justice Prathiba M. Singh rejected the NIA's plea. The High Court had issued notice in the matter on July 20 after the agency challenged the trial court's decision.

With the High Court refusing to interfere, the bail granted to Khurram Parvez and Irfan Mehraj by the Patiala House Court on July 18 will remain in force. The NIA had sought to overturn the trial court's order. Earlier, Khurram Parvez had also been granted bail by the Delhi High Court in a separate terror funding case.

Khurram Parvez serves as the Programme Coordinator of the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) and is the Chairperson of the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD). He was arrested by the NIA on November 22, 2021.

According to the NIA, Khurram Parvez, under the guise of being a human rights activist, allegedly operated a network of overground workers in association with a member of the Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) to facilitate terrorist activities in India.

The NIA registered the case in November 2021. According to the agency, Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives conspired with Khurram Parvez, Munir Ahmad Kataria, Arshid Ahmad Tonch and Zafar Abbas to expand the outfit's activities and establish a network to facilitate terrorist operations in India.

The agency further alleged that the accused collected and passed on sensitive information regarding key security installations, troop deployments and movement of security forces to Lashkar-e-Taiba. It also claimed that a government official from Himachal Pradesh abused his official position to provide them with confidential documents.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar