Delhi HC Denies Bail to UAE Businessman in Terror Funding Case

Delhi High Court Rejects Bail Plea of UAE Businessman in Terror Funding Case

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has dismissed the bail plea of UAE-based businessman Naval Kishore Kapoor, who was booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for allegedly channeling foreign funds to fuel unrest in Kashmir.

A bench made up of Justices Shalinder Kaur and Navin Chawla decided against granting bail, citing compelling evidence that implicated Kapoor in helping Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali move money into India illegally. These monies were purportedly utilized to fund terrorist and secessionist endeavors in the valley.

The court upheld the 2019 trial court’s decision to refuse bail, stating that there was enough proof of Kapoor’s role in using UAE-based shell corporations to finance separatist militants in Kashmir. Arson and stone-pelting were among the disruptive activities allegedly carried out with the funding.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) said the accused were part of a complex financial network that allowed Pakistan to fund terrorism. The court noted that the UAPA provisions, which set strict requirements for obtaining bail if the allegations are proven to be accurate, warranted an extended jail term for Kapoor.

The court also dismissed Kapoor’s claim that bail was necessary because he had a right to a speedy trial, pointing out that the trial was proceeding quickly. His residency in Dubai was also questioned, raising the possibility that he would evade prosecution or tamper with the evidence.

In 2017, the NIA filed the case, claiming that Lashkar-e-Taiba and other Pakistani organizations colluded with Kashmiri separatists to use structured finance networks to instigate violence. In accordance with the laws of the UAPA and IPC, Kapoor was detained in 2018 and charged with conspiracy and financing terrorism in early 2019.