The National Investigation Agency’s appeal against a local Maharashtra court’s grant of bail to 27-year-old Areeb Majeed, who is accused of having ISIS ties, was denied by the Supreme Court on Friday. On February 23, this year, the Bombay High Court affirmed the ruling awarding Majeed bail.
A panel of Justices S Abdul Nazeer and AS Bopanna rejected to tamper with the lower courts’ rulings, stating that the accused had been placed under strict conditions and would have to report to the police station on a regular basis. The accused had returned from Syria to India to blow police headquarters, according to Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, who was representing the NIA.
The high court had previously confirmed a lower court ruling granting Majeed bail based on the pending trial rather than the merits of the case. Majeed was ordered by the high court to provide a security of Rs one lakh and not to leave Kalyan in the Thane district, where he resides.
Majeed had allegedly travelled to Syria to join the terrorist group ISIS and then returned to India to carry out terrorist actions, according to the NIA. Majeed was detained in November 2014 for waging war against the country and other offences under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Indian Penal Code.
A special NIA court granted him bail in March of last year. The NIA then appealed to the HC, disputing the lower court’s decision. In the meantime, the high court ordered an interim stay on the bail granted, pending the outcome of the NIA’s appeal.
Majeed remained imprisoned as a result. Majeed maintained in opposition to the NIA’s appeal that he went to Syria solely to help people and disputed the charges levelled against him.
