Release me today itself?', the Supreme Court asked separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah, who had come with an application for interim bail.

The Supreme Court has sought a reply from the NIA on the petition of Kashmir separatist leader Shabbir Ahmed Shah and has given the date for the hearing after two weeks.

The Supreme Court has rejected the application for interim bail of Kashmiri separatist leader Shabbir Ahmed Shah in the terror funding case. On Thursday (September 4, 2025), Shabbir Ahmed Shah had requested interim bail citing serious illness.

According to a PTI report, a bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta was hearing the case. The bench refused to grant bail to Shabbir Ahmed Shah, but sought a reply from the Central Investigation Agency (NIA) on his petition challenging the High Court order of June 12. He had filed this petition against the High Court's order of June 12 refusing bail. The court has asked the NIA to respond within two weeks.

Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for Shabbir Ahmed Shah, requested interim bail, saying that the petitioner is very ill. On this, Justice Vikram Nath said that no interim bail will be granted. Seeking interim bail, Shabbir Ahmed Shah's lawyer Gonsalves said, 'I (Shah) want interim bail.' On this, Justice Vikram Nath said, 'Should we release you today itself?' After this, Gonsalves requested an early hearing on Shabbir Ahmed Shah's petition and the bench fixed the date of hearing after two weeks.

The High Court had refused to grant bail to Shabbir, saying that there is a possibility that he may get involved in illegal activities after coming out of jail and may also try to influence the witnesses. Shabbir Ahmed Shah was arrested by the NIA on June 4, 2019.

The NIA had registered a case against 12 people in 2017 for allegedly conspiring to raise and collect funds to cause disruption by pelting stones, damaging public property and conspiring to wage war against the Government of India.

Shabir Ahmad Shah is accused of playing a key role in promoting separatist or extremist movement in Jammu and Kashmir by inciting common people to raise slogans in support of secession of Jammu and Kashmir, paying tributes to the families of killed terrorists or extremists by terming them as martyrs, receiving funds through hawala transactions and raising funds through LoC trade, which were allegedly used to promote subversive and extremist activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

The High Court had said that the Constitution provides the right to freedom of expression, but it also imposes reasonable restrictions on steps such as public order, decency, morality or incitement to a crime. The High Court had said, 'This right cannot be misused under the guise of organizing rallies in which a person gives inflammatory speeches or incites the public to illegal activities that harm the interest and integrity of the country.'

The court had dismissed Shabbir Ahmed Shah's appeal against the subordinate court's order dated July 7, 2023 in which he was denied bail. The High Court had also rejected Shabbir Ahmed Shah's alternative plea for house arrest considering the serious nature of the charges.

The court had said that he is the president of the illegal organization Jammu Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party. The High Court had analyzed a table detailing 24 cases pending against Shabbir Ahmed Shah, which indicated his involvement in many similar criminal cases and plotting to separate Jammu and Kashmir from the Union of India.