Money laundering case: Shabir Shahs' bail plea dismissed

A court here on Tuesday dismissed the bail plea of Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Shah, arrested on charges of money laundering.

Additional Sessions Judge Sidharth Sharma rejected the bail plea after Enforcement Directorate (ED) opposed it, arguing that if he will be released then he can try to tamper with evidence in the case, while Shah's counsel M.S. Khan said his client is suffering from various ailments and needed proper treatment.

Shah is a respectable person, a known political leader and chairman of the Democratic Freedom Party and will abide by any condition imposed by the court, the defence counsel said.

The Kashmiri separatist leader was arrested from Srinagar on July 25 on charges of money laundering in a case dating back to 2005 where the Delhi Police Special Cell had arrested hawala dealer, Muhammad Aslam Wani.

Wani had reportedly confessed that he had passed on hawala money amounting to Rs 2.25 crore to Shah. The ED had registered a criminal case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against them.

The ED arrested Wani on August 6 and currently he is in judicial custody till August 31.

In the 2005 case lodged by the Special Cell, the court had acquitted co-accused Wani of the charges of criminal conspiracy and other offences but convicted him under the Arms Act.

--IANS

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