Delhi HC seeks response on bail plea of UAPA accused lodged in prison for 9 years

New Delhi [India], January 13 : Delhi High court on Friday sought the response of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on a bail plea of an accused under stringent anti-terror law UAPA. The accused is an alleged operative of Indian Mujahideen and he is in custody even without framing of charges.
He was arrested in August 2013. He has sought bail on the ground of delay in the trial.
A division bench comprising justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Neena Bansal Krishna issued notice to NIA. The matter has been listed for hearing in March.
Patiala House court had dismissed his bail plea on November 28.
Earlier, a single-judge bench of the High court had directed the trial court to dispose of his bail application in 75 days.
He is an accused in an FIR containing sections of UAPA and sections related to waging war against the state of IPC.
He has sought bail on the grounds of delay and on the merits of the case.
The petitioner Manzer Imam had in 2021 moved the petition stating the delay in the trial for the reason only two Courts in Delhi have been notified as designated Courts for the trials under the UAPA thereby resulting in a delay in the trial.
He sought a direction to the respondents to ensure/notify that special courts under section 11 NIA Act in Delhi should deal exclusively with NIA-investigated scheduled offenses so that trials can be expedited besides day-to-day hearings. The petitioner had also sought directions to the Special Court to conclude his trial on a day-to-day basis.