The Supreme Court on 12 March 2026 granted bail to Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Ahmed Shah in a terror‑funding case, emphasizing that the prolonged pre‑trial detention could not be justified. Key Developments Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta delivered the bail order after hearing senior counsel Colin Gonsalves for Shah and Siddharth Luthra for the NIA . Shah was arrested in June 2019 and named in the second supplementary chargesheet filed on 04 Oct 2019 . The court highlighted the impossibility of a speedy trial involving roughly 400 witnesses and the lack of material evidence in the first chargesheet. The bail order came after Shah’s earlier plea to the High Court against a July 2023 special NIA court decision denying bail was rejected. Important Facts Allegations: Shah allegedly facilitated a separatist movement, paid families of slain terrorists, received money via hawala transactions, and raised funds through LOC trade to fuel militant activities. Legal backdrop: The case is titled SHABIR AHMED SHAH vs. NATIONAL INVESTIGATION AGENCY, SLP(Crl) No. 13399/2025 . Procedural note: A supplementary chargesheet expands the original accusations, but the court found no substantive evidence linking Shah to the core conspiracy. Concept of bail : Granted when continued incarceration is disproportionate to the evidence and when the right to a speedy trial is jeopardised. UPSC Relevance Understanding this judgment helps aspirants grasp the interplay between India’s security apparatus (<span class="key-term" data-definition="National Investigation Agency (NIA) — centr